Skyrim: Wounds of Time (ON HOLD FOR REWRITE)
by Sh4d3r
Summary: Alduin had been defeated, the Civil War had ended, and the Fifth Era had begun. But not long after, the Dragonborn is ripped away from everything she knows and finds herself in familiar, yet unknown territory; Skyrim...98 years into the future. Ember searches for answers and a way back to her own time, but who or what will she find? [Dragonborn/Ember x OC/Ryne] [Multiple OCs]
1. Chapter 1

"You pulled it off lass." Brynjolf counted through the septims and jewels. "I didn't think you'd go through with it. Don't you still have ties to the Empire?" He asked, separating the shares among the five of us.

"The war is over. They won't miss a little coin from one cargo ship." I grinned. We camped out in Morthal but I could see the Blue Palace lights in the distance.

"Never thought I'd be affiliated with a double-crossing master of thieves." Serana sighed but accepted the packed purse that Delvin handed her.

"Exciting, isn't it?" I chuckled.

Shadowmere whinnied as I tucked the purse in my bag. My fingers ran through his stringy mane and he tapped the rocky surface beneath him in content.

"Taking off so soon?" Delvin asked.

"Serana and I have some business to attend to. We need to make it to Whiterun by morning."

"C'mon, you're going to leave me with these two assholes?" Vex crossed her arms.

"We didn't even get to celebrate." Delvin pulled forward a crate of wine.

Vex watched in disgust when Serana summoned Arvak and mounted him.

"Is that sanitary?" She asked, looking at the marsh through his bones. Brynjolf and I chuckled.

"Drink a bottle for us." I patted Devlin on the shoulder. "Brynjolf, hold the fort until I get back. Unless I beat you there."

"Aye. Be safe out there." He waved.

Serana and I disappeared through the trees toward Cold Rock Pass.

I tightened my hood to stop the cold snowy wind from burning my face. Serana seemed to be fairly at home in this weather. It made me want to be a vampire again.

"Are you sure you want to ride through this?" She asked, raising her voice over the wind.

"It's fine. We're almost to the pass!" I yelled back. Shadowmere and Arvak pushed through the snow.

"Wait...Something is wrong!" Serana yelled.

I didn't respond. The same feeling washed over me. It was dark...overwhelming, and then it was quickly followed by pain. My temperature began to rise and I cried out. It was as if every bone in my body was twisting and ignited. Shadowmere reared, running through the trees. My back slammed against the ground, knocking the breath out of me.

"Ember!" Serana yelled, running to my side.

Snow began to swirl around me. The ice felt like blades against my skin. I tried to stand but I could only get to my knees. A heavy force pulled against me and locked me in place.

"What's happening?!" She panicked and tried to reach for me.

"No! Stay back!" I yelled, managing to push her away. She tumbled to the ground, watching helplessly.

The pain did not subside, it only became more intense. Suddenly, my skin began to glow white. I watched the light travel up my body and then blind me. The last thing I saw was Serana reaching for me.

"EMBER!" She yelled.

Her voice echoed in my ears, getting progressively louder, almost like thunder. _Wait…_ My eyes shot open when lightning struck nearby. Every bit of my body was sore, exhausted, and covered in mud. After a few failed attempts, I managed to get to my feet.

"Serana?!" I yelled. I searched my surroundings but the downpour made it impossible to see. "Lo-!"

Before I could clear the skies, the lightning struck again. This time, it engulfed the tree next to me. I tried to readjust to the darkness but the light left me nearly blind. My ears stopped ringing a little too late for me to realize that the branches above me were collapsing. I yelped when a sharp piece of wood punctured my leg.

"Lok-Vah-Koor!" The rain stopped. When the clouds cleared, the moonlight peaked through the trees, lighting the landscape. I did my best to rub the mud from my eyes but it didn't help my sense of direction. "Where am I?" I whispered.

The land looked familiar, but unfamiliar. My thoughts were interrupted by the thick stream of blood that dyed the pool of water around me. I ripped off a piece of cloth to use as a tourniquet. My vision began to fade.

"Hello? Is someone out there?!" The voice throbbed in my ears but I couldn't respond. A dark figure appeared at my feet. My body became heavy and slumped against the tree.


	2. Chapter 2

**Recap:**

The land looked familiar, but unfamiliar. My thoughts were interrupted by the thick stream of blood that dyed the pool of water around me. I ripped off a piece of cloth to use as a tourniquet. My vision began to fade.

"Hello? Is someone out there?!" The voice throbbed in my ears but I couldn't respond. A dark figure appeared at my feet. My body became heavy and slumped against the tree.

 **Chapter Start:**

The sound of wood crackling in the fire made me come to. Beads of sweat slid down my dirt covered face, but my skin was cold and pale.

"You're awake. I'm sorry, but this is going to hurt."

I looked over and saw a young man tending to my leg. He didn't give me much time to react before he poured acid, I mean "medicine", on my open wound. He frowned apologetically when I groaned in pain. My fists clenched the tattered blanket that covered me. A warm light emanated from his hands and surrounded my leg, slowly closing the wound.

"Thank you." I mumbled, shivering.

He couldn't have been much younger than I was. Both his hair and eyes were light in color. He gave a small smile, washed my blood from his hands, and pulled a heavy fur blanket over me.

"You're welcome. I'm sorry I couldn't fully heal it. Restoration isn't my strong suit." He chuckled in embarrassment. "There's a warm bath in the corner if you wanted to clean up, but please rest as long as you need." He motioned towards the corner of the room. "My name is Desmond. You can call me if you need anything. I won't be far." He gathered the bloody bandages and headed for the door.

When the door opened, a man was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. A dark leather hood shadowed his face but I could make out his gold glowering eyes. His armor was strikingly similar to the Thieves Guild attire. Desmond closed the door behind him before I could form any theories.

"This is a mistake, you don't know who she is." The man whispered, scolding Desmond.

"I couldn't just leave her like that. I'll talk to her and then take her to city. They can help her." Desmond replied. I waited until their footsteps faded down the hallway.

Once the coast was clear, I made my way towards the bath. The warm water washed the dirt, blood, and sweat from my skin. After rinsing the grime from my armor, I ran my fingers through my red tresses, and got dressed.

Though Desmond was kind, his companion was not as welcoming. I took the hint and began to gather my belongings.

"Do you have any idea who it is?" A woman's voice echoed down the hallway.

"No. I've never seen her before." Desmond replied. Quietly and carefully, I left the room and closed in on them.

"Does it matter? We need to get her out of the picture. It's just another problem that we don't need."

"What if she knows something?" Desmond asked.

 _Who are these people?_

"Wait…" The woman interrupted. "I know you're there. Show yourself."

The room went silent and I walked out from the shadows. When I looked around the room, Desmond was with three others. My eyes caught a pair of familiar golden ones. This time, he wasn't wearing his hood. He looked up at me, slightly dazed, but his expression quickly turned into a glare. The woman had dark hair and dark eyes, she appeared to be an Altmer, likely to be affiliated with the Thalmor. _Perfect...just what I need_.

"Well well, what do we have here? You didn't tell me that you hired entertainment." The last of the group was a tall burly man. His head was shaved and his brown eyes were scanning my body. He smirked at me and then at Desmond. "I approve."

"Wait...Bjorn, that's uh-..." Desmond motioned towards him.

"I just wanted to thank you. I'll be on my way." I gave Desmond a small smile and turned to leave.

"Wait just a second sweetheart. We have a few questions for you." Bjorn caught my wrist and pulled me back.

My eyes darted towards him and I tried to release my arm from his grasp. His grip tightened and he pulled me into him, tightening his arm around my neck.

"Bjorn!" Desmond yelled and everyone stood up.

"I'm warning you, let go of me!" I yelled, but his grip only tightened.

Before they could act, I reacted. My left hand clenched into a fist and made contact with his groin. Bjorn's head lowered in pain and I brought my elbow to his chin. His grip released and I took the opportunity to grab the dagger from his belt. He groaned as I twisted his arm behind his back and kicked the back of his knee, forcing his leg to bend. Bjorn collapsed to his knees and the cold blade rested against his neck.

"Don't move!" Everyone stopped in place. The other man clenched his jaw. My grip tightened on Bjorn, causing him to groan in pain. "Don't even think about it!" I glared.

"Wait! Hold on!" Desmond threw his hands up in submission. "Please, don't hurt him. We just wanted to talk to you. Please…" He pleaded.

"Then talk." It was tempting to run, but I could see the gentle nature in his eyes. Desmond helped me, the least I could do was listen. I also couldn't deny that prolonging this asshole's pain was enjoyable. Bjorn struggled against my grip but to no avail.

"We don't want to hurt you. I just wanted to ask you a few questions about my sister."

"Desmond!" The other man yelled in protest.

"She might have seen her." Desmond yelled back and his eyes returned to me. "Did you see a woman? She has light eyes and hair, like me. She's around your age."

Confusion set in. I expected bandits, or maybe Thalmor spies, not a missing girl. Bjorn's arm tensed and my grip tightened. He growled in frustration.

"Wait, what? No, the only other person I saw was Se-" The panic began to set in. _Serana...was she hurt?_ "There was a woman with me. What did you do with her? Where is she?"

"A woman?" Desmond confirmed.

"Yes. She has short dark hair and gold eyes."

"No, you were the only one out there." He replied. The Altmer looked at me suspiciously. It was at that point that I realized, her eyes weren't dark, they were completely black.

"You look familiar, what is your name?" She asked.

"Ashe." I lied. She didn't respond. "I have to go. My friend is still out there." I released Bjorn but kept his dagger.

"Wait! You can't go out there alone!" Desmond yelled.

"Clearly she's capable of defending herself." His friend replied, annoyed.

"So was Ysara." Desmond frowned in frustration. "Please, we can take you to the nearest city, but you can't go out there alone. Your friend is most likely gone."

"What are you talking about?" My brows furrowed.

"Many locals have gone missing. None of them have been found." His eyes lowered. "My sister Ysara, among them. She's been missing for nearly a year. When I found you, I thought you might have been her."

"I-..." My eyes softened. "I'm sorry. I didn't see anyone else out there. It was just me and my friend."

Desmond let out a sigh and sat down. Bjorn cautiously stepped away from me, comforting his "jewels".

"Thank you for your concern, but I should go. I've already caused enough trouble. Good luck in your search." I dropped the dagger to the floor and quickly ran out the door.

My leg throbbed as I distanced myself from Desmond's cabin. Over a mile out, I turned to make sure I wasn't being followed. The coast was clear. _Good…_ When I turned, my relief turned into dismay. The Altmer woman stood only a few feet in front of me. Her black eyes glared at me from under her hood.

"Who are you?" She asked and stepped forward. " _What_ are you?"

"I already told you, my name is Ashe." I tried to back away to distance myself from her, but she stepped forward. _Why did I throw away the dagger?_

I was far from helpless, but the last thing I wanted to do was shout at an Altmer. I didn't know where Serana was. I didn't know where _I_ was.

"I'm not a fool. I can smell it in your blood. You're not a normal human, maybe not even human at all."

"You're a vampire." I gasped in realization and relief. "My friend, Serana, do you know her? Have you seen her?"

"How do you know Serana?" She stopped in her tracks, stunned but on her guard.

"She was with me, right before Desmond found me."

"You must be mistaken, Serana hasn't left Volkihar for decades." She replied.

"Wh-...No, she was with me last night. She's been traveling with me since we defeated Harkon."

Once again, confusion took over. _What the hell is going on!? What happened to me last night?_ My head began to ache.

"Harkon?! What is your name? Your **real** name?" The look on her face was curious, but cautious. She knew something that I didn't.

"Ember."

"Ember? As in the…" She paused.

"The Dragonborn."

"That's impossible…" Her eyes widened in disbelief and she stepped back.

"I don't understand."

"What year is it?" She asked.

"It's 5E 2, 18th of the Last Seed." I muttered, slightly annoyed at her irrelevant question.

"Astonishing. How did you get here?"

"What? No, tell me what the hell is going on!" I was done answering questions. It was her turn.

"You don't know..." She was taken back by the dumbfounded look on my face. "The year is 5E 100."

My stomach dropped.

"What…?" I whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Recap:**

"What? No, tell me what the hell is going on!" I was done answering questions. It was her turn.

"You don't know..." She was taken back by the dumbfounded look on my face. "The year is 5E 100."

My stomach dropped.

"What…?" I whispered.

 **Chapter Start:**

"This explains everything. You went missing 98 years ago."

"No. This can't be…" I winced and shook my head, trying to make sense of her words.

"Most thought that you were dead. Some had the nerve to accuse Serana, but the truth is that you traveled to the future. That's why they couldn't find a trace of you."

"98 years?" I whispered, my voice cracked.

"Serana said that there was a bright, blinding light…"

 _My skin began to glow white. I watched the light travel up my body and then blind me. The last thing I saw was Serana reaching for me._

" _EMBER!" She yelled._

"And then you were just...gone."

"I don't understand. How did this happen? Why am I here?" When the words escaped my mouth, the panic began to rise. As soon as I asked, I knew the answer. "Do you know where Desmond found me?"

"Not the exact location, but the general area, yes. This way." She replied and led on.

My hands were trembling. Staying calm was easier said than done. Her theory wasn't as far fetched as one would think. After all, I had traveled the currents of time once before to learn Dragonrend.

A few moments later, I snapped out of my thoughts when I bumped into the Altmer's back. She had stopped in her tracks to observe what laid before her. When I peeked over her shoulder, my heart began racing. Before us was a crater, no more than a foot deep, but it spanned nearly 10 feet. At the center, the landscape appeared to be morphing.

"The Time Wound." I muttered. My suspicions had been confirmed. "Whoever sent me here used the Dragon Elder Scroll."

"The scroll went missing from the College nearly 2 years ago. Around the time that locals began to disappear. I don't know how, but I think that your arrival may be connected in some way." She gasped.

"Then I need to know everything that you know."

"We should start by taking you to Serana."

Nothing would comfort me more than seeing Serana. She was my closest friend, but I wanted to undo all of this. For both our sakes.

"I can't." I muttered.

"What?" She scowled. "You've been missing for nearly a century. Serana will want to know that you're alive. She deserves answers!"

"And I want to give them to her but I don't know what the hell is going on! If I'm going to go back to my own time, the less who know, the better." My brows furrowed. "I have to fix this."

The Altmer opened her lips to protest, but then closed them.

"I-...I understand. We'll do it your way." She nodded.

We stood in silence for a moment and observed the Time Wound. Then her voice knocked me out of my thoughts.

"My name is Lykaria. You can call me Kari."

"Thank you, Kari." I replied softly.

I wanted this nightmare to end. Yesterday I was counting septims with my friends and today, I'm nothing more than a few lines in a history book.

"We should get back to the others, Ashe." She smirked. I lifted my brow, waiting for her to explain. "You're the Dragonborn. Not only will your skills be useful, but you're tied to all of this somehow. It's best that we all work together."

"Uhhh yeah, I think I already blew that opportunity. Besides, I'm pretty sure that if I speak dragon, people will start catching on." I said dully.

"Don't use your Thu'um. I was apart of the Thalmor Embassy once, I'm well aware that Thu'um isn't your only skill." She gave me a deadpan look.

"Speaking of which, do you want to fill me in on that?"

"A story for another time, come." She motioned me forward.

"I put a blade to your friend's neck. Not a good start to a partnership."

"Bjorn? He had it coming. Now he knows his limits." She chuckled lightly. "Just let me do the talking." Kari had a smirk on her face. It was as if she was going to enjoy riling up the others and I was her tool of choice.

"This is such a bad idea." I sighed, but I followed her lead. "What about your hooded drama queen? He didn't seem very fond of visitors."

"Ah yes, Ryne. Don't take that to heart. He's been on edge ever since Ysara disappeared." I could hear the sympathy in her voice.

"Were they close?"

"You can say that." She held a branch back to clear my path. "They're engaged."

Kari continued forward. My brows furrowed and I bit my lip. _Being close to someone and not knowing where they are or if they're even alive at all_...I felt guilty for putting all my friends and comrades in the same position. Then again, I knew what loss and uncertainty felt like. Nearly everyone I had ever known was dead and there was no guarantee that I would ever see them again. That hit me like a boulder.

"Bjorn is a friend of Ryne, helping with the search. You already know that Desmond is her brother. Younger brother."

We stopped when the cabin was in view.

"And you?" I asked. Kari looked down and her eyes softened. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't pry."

"No it's alright. You're going to be apart of this so you should know all of the details." She took a moment to answer. "Ysara is my best friend. Really, she's the closest thing that I have to family. When I was turned, Serana welcomed me with open arms, but Ysara saved me. From the Thalmor, from the world, even from myself."

"She sounds like quite the woman. I'm excited to meet her." I laid my hand on her shoulder and smiled. Kari returned it and we approached the cabin.

"I'll do the talking." She whispered and I nodded.

The wooden door creaked open and all eyes were on us. Ryne glared.

"Kari, what the hell are you doing?" His eyes were locked on me.

She ignored him and looked to Desmond.

"Ashe is with us now."

"I'm sorry, did you miss the part where she threatened to kill Bjorn!?"

"Please, stop." Desmond said calmly. "We were all out of line earlier. Let's put it behind us. Kari, what is this about?"

"She needs our help." Kari didn't even bother acknowledging Ryne.

"You're serious?" Ryne scoffed.

"We just got back from where Ashe was found. Her friend Selene is missing." Kari said.

I looked at her and then at Desmond. Ryne crossed his arms and leaned back.

"I'm so sorry." Desmond frowned.

 _Oh hells...what did I get myself into?_

"It would be best to work as a team rather than against each other. She's a high rank mercenary. Skills like hers will be beneficial." Kari said.

"I agree. No one should do this alone. It's too risky." Desmond replied. He motioned for us to join them.

Kari and I accepted the invitation.

"I'm sorry, about earlier. I was on edge." I frowned. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ryne look at me and relax.

"That's alright. Let's just take it easy and talk everything through." Desmond smiled and I nodded. "So your friend was with you last night? Did you see anything? Anyone else?" He asked.

"No, I didn't see anyone. It was just the two of us. When I woke up, I was on the ground and she was gone." I bit my tongue. I wasn't bad at lying, but I didn't enjoy doing it. _Thanks Kari…_

"I saw that storm. It was strange. One moment it was there, and then it was gone. Did you happen to hear any shouting? I could have sworn that I heard something else."

Kari and I exchanged a quick look.

"No, I didn't hear anything. Maybe it was thunder?" I lied.

"You're probably right." Desmond motioned to the map on the table and I looked over it carefully. "When I found you, you weren't far from where Ysara was missing." The map was littered with red Xs.

"They're all so close." I pulled it over to get a closer look.

"These markings represent where people were last seen or where we lost the victim's tracks. Most of the disappearances happen in the same area The Jarl is convinced that it's some kind of animal or troll. He advised the locals to stay away from that area."

"The Jarl? They haven't done anything about it?!" I was appalled.

"They've searched the area multiple times, but they never find anything. I know it isn't just an animal. My sister was one of the best hunters in Skyrim. Someone or something else had to take her." Desmond pulled the map closer and pointed at the pass. "We check the caves in this area once a week for any signs. We're getting ready to make the rounds. You should join us. Your friend may not be far." Desmond stood and we followed him out the door. "We should split into groups."

"I actually have some business to attend to, but I'll be back in the morning." Kari said. She flipped her hood and walked away before I could protest.

When she turned the corner, I looked forward and everyone was staring at me.

"Uhh...Ashe why don't you come with me? Bjorn, you can go with Ryne." Desmond smiled nervously.

"The girl is coming with me." Ryne insisted.

 _Well...this is fucking perfect…_ Ryne gave me a glare and nodded forward, motioning for me to lead the way. I sighed but obeyed. _Kari...I hate you._


	4. Chapter 4

**Recap:**

"Uhh...Ashe why don't you come with me? Bjorn, you can go with Ryne." Desmond smiled nervously.

"The girl is coming with me." Ryne insisted.

 _Well...this is fucking perfect…_ Ryne gave me a glare and nodded forward, motioning for me to lead the way. I sighed but obeyed. _Kari...I hate you._

 **Chapter Start:**

His footsteps were close and taunting. I sulked. We had met only a few hours ago and I could cut the tension with a knife. Kari had thrown me to the wolves. _Kari why hath ye betrayed me?_

"Left."

Ryne's voice quickly pulled me out of my self pity.

"Wha-...?" When I turned, I gave him a puzzled look. His expression hadn't changed since the first time I saw his face. _Maybe it's stuck like that…_

"Turn left. You're going the wrong way." He pressed, knitting his brows.

"I'm sorry, but if you know where we're going, why aren't **you** leading the way?" I sassed.

"Left." He insisted, ignoring my question.

Our eyes locked and we had a split second showdown. Ryne made it clear that he wasn't going to back down and I wasn't in the mood to deal with him. A sigh escaped my lips and I turned. _Let's just get this over with._

A few minutes had passed and his footsteps were merely an echo of my own. Many colorful words had come to my mind but I managed to hold them in. I curved around a tree and caught my foot on a root. A yelp escaped my lips as I caught myself. Pain throbbed through my leg and slowed my pace. My wound was still tender.

"Faster. I don't have all night."

 _That's it._ Ryne nearly rammed right into me as I stopped and turned around; glaring daggers into his amber colored eyes. Had the circumstances been different, I could have gotten lost in them. Instead, I wanted to punch one of them out.

"What's your deal?" I spat. He was slightly taken back by my actions but quickly returned to his standard, _loveable_ expression of hate.

"Keep moving. We still have a ways to go." He rested his hand on the hilt of his dagger. Perhaps it was an attempt to scare me into submission but instead, it only fanned the flames.

"No! I'm not spending my day being ordered around by a self-centered asshole." I glared daggers back at him.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight. I don't trust you." He stood his ground.

"Yeah, I caught that." I intoned.

"Maybe the others are fooled, but not me. I know you have something to do with it." He stepped forward until he hovered over me. "You know where she is, don't you?" There was almost a deep growl in his voice. He had been boiling over this theory for quite some time.

"You think I had something to do with it?!" His silence was confirmation. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Don't play dumb with me. I was there when Desmond found you. I saw the crater. I don't know who or what you are, but I know you're behind all of this!" He stepped forward again, his face only inches from mine.

I clenched my fists until they went white. Today was not a great day to fuck with me and he was already on thin ice. My hands trembled as the adrenaline rushed through my aching body.

"Whoever is responsible took _everything_ from me. Unlike you, I have no one, so get over yourself princess." I hissed. After the words left my mouth, I realized that they probably did more damage to me than him.

His eyes softened ever so slightly.

"What do you mean?" He pressed.

I scoffed and pushed him away.

"It's none of your business." I muttered, and continued walking.

"Get back here! We're not done!"

"Go fuck yourself." I replied, undaunted. He growled but followed close behind.

Another hour of complete silence ( _thank you Divines_ ) had passed. The adrenaline had nearly worn off and I realized that it was my primary source of warmth. The cold began to numb my fingertips and toes, but I didn't want to stop; I wanted to get this over with.

A small grumble escaped my lips when the wind picked up and shook the trees around us. _Wait..._ My eyes darted to the right and I motioned for Ryne to stop. He obeyed and we listened closely.

"Get down!" I yelled, tackling him to the ground. An arrow pierced the tree where his head had been just a split second before. Ryne gawked but I got to my feet. A branch broke in the distance and he quickly followed suit.

"Give me a weapon." I whispered.

"No way."

"Are you kidding me?! I just saved your life!" I looked at him in disbelief but he ignored me. "Fine." I fumed.

My eyes went forward and I readied myself. Five men walked from the trees. All of them were armed, very large, and very happy to see us. Judging by their armor, they were cutthroats; bandits. The odds were not in our favor.

"Look here boys. We've got ourselves quite a beauty. How 'bout I keep her busy while you take care of her boyfriend." He chuckled. _Boyfriend!?_ I held back a gag.

Ryne unsheathed his sword and four of the men slowly cornered us. A shadow engulfed me. When I looked up, one of the men was hovering over me. Before I could bolt, his hand snagged my wrist and pulled me away from Ryne and into his chest.

"Ack!" Ryne yelped, trying to fight of his attackers.

"Stop!" I yelled.

I tried to run to his aid, but my attacker's grip tightened; hard enough to nearly break my wrist. The grin disappeared from his face when I planted my knee into his groin, forcing him to release my arm and fall to his knees. My hand grasped the hilt of his sword but he caught me off guard and recovered almost instantly. He grabbed me by the neck and pinned me against a tree.

"Bad move doll."

A scream echoed against the mountain. I looked over and saw one of the men lying dead in the snow. Ryne caught my eye and fell to his knees, clutching his ribs.

"Hurry up and finish him off." My attacker ordered. _This is bad._

His eyes returned to me and his dirty, calloused thumb brushed my jaw line. Then he moved in close enough for me to feel his breath on my face. I turned my head to avoid him and saw the key to my freedom. I reached up, broke the arrow embedded in the tree, and plant it into the side of his neck. He clawed at his throat, gasping for oxygen. On his way down, I unsheathed his sword; grasping it tightly in my right hand.

All eyes were on me as I readied myself for an attack. Ryne was right where I last saw him. Kneeling in the snow, hand on his ribs; but this time, he had a freshly busted lip and a bruised brow.

My eyes locked on the bandits and I waited for a moment; giving them an opportunity to run. They didn't take it, they never do.

An arrow ripped through the heavy wind and I moved just in time to dodge it. _I missed one._ One of the men charged towards me, blade ready. I quickly parried his attack and stabbed him in the ribs. Another attacked me and I ducked, slicing the back of his ankle deep enough to nearly amputate. His screams were silenced when I drove the sword through his chest.

The last man ran at me. The ranger in the distance released another arrow just in time for me to grab the bandit and pull him in front of me. He collapsed to the ground with an arrow in his chest. I grabbed the iron dagger from his belt and waited patiently. Ryne's eyes were on me but I didn't bother looking his way.

As predicted, another arrow sprung towards me. I used the sword to cut the arrow out of the sky and threw the dagger back to the sender. He yelped when it made contact. _Got him._

For just a moment, it was completely silent. It was just me, the wind, and oh yeah…

"What the fuck is your problem?!" I turned to face Ryne, ready to scream his ears off.

His eyes were heavy and the hand that held his ribs was dripping in blood.

"Shit." I ran over to him and looked at his wound.

He had already lost a lot of blood and at this rate, wouldn't be conscious for much longer. I had to move fast. It was only a matter of time before the storm would hit at full force and the best option was Cold Rock Pass.

Pain shot through my leg when I threw Ryne over my shoulder. I did my best to push it aside and headed into the storm.


	5. Chapter 5

**Recap:**

Pain shot through my leg when I threw Ryne over my shoulder. I did my best to push it aside and headed into the storm.

 **Chapter Start:**

Saying that I was frustrated would be an understatement. It would be easy for me to clear the skies and head back to the cabin, but the consequences were unpredictable. I wasn't in a hurry to destroy Nirn after I had just saved it.

My leg began to tremble. The pressure that had been forced upon it caused the pain to amplify. I gently laid Ryne to the ground and immediately started a fire. The light revealed that my leg was swollen, but it wasn't my primary concern.

I walked back over to Ryne and reached for the buttons on his collar. When my fingertip brushed his skin, he caught my hand and glared me down.

"I have to clean it before I can close it." My voice was assertive. He clearly did not realize how much blood he had lost. This was not the time to be melodramatic.

Ryne released his grip but watched me carefully. He groaned in pain when I helped him out of his armor. It didn't take long for me to determine that he had been stabbed. Luckily the blade didn't go in all the way, but the wound was still deep. I pulled the water from his pack and began to clean the wound. His abs tensed when I touched his skin, causing my cheeks to burn. Hopefully he didn't notice.

The wound cleaned up nicely but needed to be closed. I laid my hand over the wound and concentrated. My brows knitted. It had been awhile since I had to do this. His body relaxed when my hand began to glow. The skin slowly repaired itself and he sighed in relief. My hand slightly trembled when I rested it gently on his face, healing his busted lip.

"That should do it, but you need to rest. You've lost a lot of blood." I said, resting my back on the opposing wall. "It looks like we're staying here tonight. Hopefully the storm will clear up by morning; then we can head back." I said, adjusting my leg.

"Why didn't you heal yourself?" He asked, his amber eyes continued to follow mine.

"I've always been awful at magic and I'm more experienced using it on others, not so much myself. Due to my lack of talent, my magicka is limited; so I tend to use it only when absolutely needed."

Ryne glanced at my leg and then back at me.

"Clearly you needed it."

"I wasn't the one bleeding out." I replied, tilting my head back.

The fire crackled and I closed my eyes, appreciating the warmth against my skin. It had been a **very** long day and I was overjoyed that it was coming to an end; part of me hoping that when I woke, everything would be back to normal. The chances were slim.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?"

His tone was even; not hostile, not frustrated. I looked up to make sure that he was the one talking. Ryne had adjusted himself in a similar position. Sitting slightly up, looking at me across the flames of our campfire; waiting for my reply.

"I've been fighting for as long as I can remember. The past few years, I've been doing mercenary work." I replied. The flames shimmered against Ryne's eyes. He looked different when he wasn't glaring at me. He looked...alluring. _WHOA! What the hell is wrong with me?_ I cleared my throat in an attempt to dissipate the inappropriate mental battle going on inside my _clearly concussed_ head. "What about you? Where did you learn to fight?"

"Not far off from you; I've been fighting since I was young. I learned most of my skills through mercenary work and through my father...but he died a long time ago."

"I'm sorry." I frowned.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You have me cornered." I joked, trying and failing to lighten the mood.

"You said that whoever is behind this had taken everything from you. What did you mean by that?"

The smile disappeared from my face. There was no point on lying when I had already dropped the ball on that one.

"Yes." I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "But...I can't really explain. To be honest, I'm still trying to understand it myself. Whatever, or whoever is doing this, they're behind more than just disappearances. They have to be stopped." My voice faded to a whisper. The mere thought that someone with ill will possessed the power to bend time...it was terrifying. Especially when so many people had been taken, possibly dead.

"Ashe isn't your real name, is it?" He questioned. I caught his eyes and pursed my lips. "I thought so."

He was good. I was impressed.

"I'm sorry. I know it sounds ludicrous, but I lied for a good reason. You don't have to trust me. You don't even have to help me...but with or without help, I'm going to stop them. I'm going to fix this."

He continued to watch me but I didn't bother looking over. I anxiously chewed the walls of my mouth. Maybe I talked big, but I hadn't really considered where to start. _First thing on the list is definitely a bow. Let's not relive today's predicament._ Ryne interrupted my to do list.

"Thank you...for helping me."

"I think you've lost too much blood." My eyes narrowed in concern.

"Don't make me regret saying it." He said, dryly. I threw my hands up in submission and sealed my lips. "And I'm sorry about earlier. It takes a good liar to know one. Which, for the record, Kari is a bad liar." I chuckled and nodded in agreement. Maybe it was the lighting, but I could have sworn I saw a ghost of a smile flash across his face. "You don't have to tell me everything, but don't lie."

"I understand and I know that I don't really have the right to ask, but could you keep it from the others? I won't lie to you again, but the less who know, the better." Ryne thought about it for a moment and then nodded. "For the record, Selene doesn't exist."

"Yeah, I know."

"I'll come clean on that one when we get back to the cabin." I smiled awkwardly.

"I'd appreciate it." Ryne replied.

I laid down on the cold, hard rock, using my arm as a pillow. Almost immediately, warm tears began to slid down my cheeks against my will. I sniffled as quietly as I could but there was no doubt that Ryne heard it. To my relief, he didn't bother asking.

* * *

My eyes slid open and I saw Ryne putting on his armor. The storm had finally passed.

I tried to move, but quickly realized that my leg had swelled up too much to bend. My palms pushed against the ground and I sat up, taking deep breaths as pain pulsed through my body.

I laid my hand on my leg and managed to heal it enough to grant minor movement, but my magika had run dry. Using the wall, I got to my feet. It was short lived. The first step I took, my leg stiffened and I fell. I prepared myself for impact but a warm arm caught me.

"Thanks." I muttered.

"We should get you back to Desmond. He can help." Ryne said, helping me find my footing.

"What about the cave?"

"I already searched the area and didn't find anything." He replied.

My heart raced when he snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me into him. The scent lingering off of him was a hybrid of campfire and ironwood trees after a thunderstorm. It was warm and inviting... _and off limits!_ I was relieved that he couldn't see my face turning red at this angle. He wrapped my arm around his neck and with no trouble, he took on the majority of my body weight.

* * *

After nearly two hours, we reached the door to the cabin. Desmond opened it up and relief washed over his face.

"What happened?" Desmond asked, helping me to the chair nearby.

Kari and Bjorn joined us.

"We got attacked by bandits yesterday and we were caught in the storm. We had to camp out in the pass." Ryne replied.

"Well I'm happy that you're both alright." Desmond began feeling around my leg and frowned. "I can heal your leg enough to allow it to bend, but it would be best for you to get it fully healed. We should travel to Solitude. I need to replenish supplies anyways."

"I'll go too. I need to patch my armor." Ryne replied, pointing to the fresh tear in the leather.

"What happened to you?" Kari asked.

"One of the bandits stabbed me."

"What!? Are you alright?" Desmond gasped.

"I'm fine. Ashe healed me up."

"Why didn't you heal yourself." Kari raised her brow at me.

I opened my mouth to reply but Ryne interjected.

"She tried, but she's inept."

"Rude!" I scoffed.

"We send you two off thinking that you might kill her and you come back finishing off her sentences. It seems a lot has happened since yesterday." Kari replied, smirking.

"Yeah, thanks for that by the way." I muttered, intoned. Kari chuckled.

"We were able to put our differences aside." Ryne replied.

"That's good to hear." Desmond smiled and his eyes softened.

"By the way, since we're all here, I would like to come clean." I said softly. Kari's eyes locked onto my own. "My friend isn't missing. I'm sorry I lied. Whoever is taking people...took everything from me, in a way that I can't yet explain. That's why I want to help. I want to find out who is behind this. I want to stop them."

The room was quiet for a moment. I saw Bjorn and Desmond look to Ryne. He gave a light nod and they relaxed.

"I'll go with you to Solitude. Ashe can ride with me." Kari said, breaking the awkward silence. I smiled.

"I could use a drink from the tavern." Bjorn said.

"Alright, it's settled. Let's get going." Desmond said, standing from his seat.

Ryne helped me to my feet and out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

_Hello all! Just wanted to say thank you for reading my story! I hope you're enjoying it so far. Please let me know what you think via review or PM. If you'd like to keep up with it, please follow/favorite. I am going to try to post as much as possible! Thank you again! - Sh4d3r_

* * *

 **Recap:**

"I'll go with you to Solitude. Ashe can ride with me." Kari said, breaking the awkward silence.

"I could use a drink from the tavern." Bjorn said.

"Alright, it's settled. Let's get going." Desmond said, standing from his seat.

Ryne helped me to my feet and out the door.

 **Chapter Start:**

Kari's horse let out a quiet snort and began to slow down, providing us with a little more privacy.

"So that lie didn't last long. If I had known that you were so bad at it, I never would have suggested it." Kari teased, adjusting her hood.

"Hey, you're the one that told that lie. Ryne even mentioned your incompetence. Speaking of which, are we going to talk about how you left me for dead yesterday?" I exaggerated and Kari chuckled.

"Seems like it was a good idea to me." She looked up at Ryne's back and then back at me. "What happened between you two?"

I went through the details with Kari. Explaining that I came clean but spared the majority of the details.

"I see. Well I'm impressed. You handled it well." She smiled.

"Have you seen Serana? How is she?" I asked, nibbling my lip.

"She's exactly how she was before you arrived. She doesn't know." Kari didn't bother looking at me; My guess is that she still disagreed with my decision to keep this all from Serana. I just couldn't risk it. The last thing I wanted to do was drag my best friend into this mess. She had already suffered enough. Once I returned to my own time, things would go back to normal and she wouldn't have to experience what she did when I disappeared.

* * *

After a four hour trip, we finally approached the Solitude gates. We dropped the horses off at the stables and Ryne helped me up the hill. The first thing the caught my eye was the growth of the city. It was nearly two times the size. When we walked in, I scanned the area in awe. It was so alive, and beautiful.

"You act like you've never seen it before." Ryne said, studying my face.

I didn't respond and he shrugged it off. Bjorn gave us a two-finger salute and entered The Winking Skeever. We followed Desmond to the shop and we were immediately greeted by a young blonde woman. Her face lit up.

"Desmond! It's so good to see you!" She nearly squealed.

She had it bad for him. Anyone could see that; anyone but Desmond.

"Eve, it's good to see you too." He smiled.

"What can I do for you?" She asked.

"My friend, she's hurt. I was hoping you could help." Desmond stepped aside.

"Oh no! Let's get you taken care of. Go ahead and lay on that bench." She asked, pinning her hair up. Ryne helped me down and stepped out of the way. She kneeled at my side and frowned. "You must be in excruciating pain. How long have you been like this?"

"Nearly two days." I muttered.

"Two days!? I'm amazed that you've lasted this long."

"It didn't start swelling until I strained myself." I shrugged. It wasn't exactly the worst wound that I've endured; being in the consistent presence of very pissed off dragons.

Eve looked concern at my composure.

"Just relax." She said softly. Both of her hands rested on my leg and she closed her eyes.

I scanned her features. She was very pretty. Her skin was pale and her bangs framed her face. Her brows knitted and I felt the pressure being released from my leg. A few seconds later, she opened her blue eyes.

"Do you feel any pain?" She asked, placing gentle pressure around my leg.

"No. It's gone." I smiled and relaxed.

"Wonderful!" She stood to her feet and looked to Desmond.

"How much do we owe you?" Desmond asked, pulling his coin from his pocket.

"Don't be absurd. No charge." She smiled.

"Eve, that's what you said last time." He returned her smile.

I stood up and leaned into Ryne.

"Please tell me that he knows." I whispered, keeping my eyes on Desmond and Eve.

"He's blind." Ryne replied.

I frowned and sighed. Poor girl.

"I'm going to walk around and loosen up my leg." Ryne nodded and both he and Kari followed. "Thank you so much Eve. It was wonderful to meet you." I gave her a big smile.

"You're very welcome! Be careful out there!" She waved.

"I'll be done in a few." Desmond reassured and continued talking to Eve.

When we stepped outside, I stretched and turned my nose to the sky. Having my self-sufficiency back felt great. Kari caught my eye when she walked passed me and into the courtyard. My jaw nearly dropped.

"What the hell is that?" I asked, mortified.

"This is a piece of our history. A depiction of Skyrim's most illustrious hero." She was low-key harassing me.

"You can't be serious." My eyes studied the piece carefully. _This is just embarrassing._

Ryne walked over and circled the statue. It was around 15 feet tall and made of marble. I immediately recognized the dragon. He was large, with pronounced spikes and skales. The giveaway was the red gems he had for his eyes. He was at the feet of a woman. Her hair framed her figure and her expression was fierce. Her bow was drawn to the anchor point and her arrow was aimed right between Alduin's eyes.

Kari read the inscription in the stone.

"A tribute to Ember, The Last Dragonborn; celebrating her victory against The World-Eater and her role in unifying the people of Skyrim to end The Civil War. For her beauty and strength were unmatched." Kari nearly tripped over her own words as she held back her laughter.

Ryne lifted his brow in concern.

"What's wrong with her?" He asked.

I deadpanned.

"Alright, that's all done." Desmond walked over to us, tying his bag. "Ah yes! The Dragonborn. She's fascinating, isn't she? Did you know that she went missing 98 years ago? Completely disappeared from Nirn. Some believe that she was murdered, others say that she was an aspect of Talos; A brave warrior goddess that united the people and ended the war. They believe that after the Dragon Crisis and the Civil War, she left Nirn to take her side next to the Eight. The Thalmor put a massive bounty for anyone who could capture her." By this point, I was mentally crying in a corner, but that didn't stop Desmond from ranting on. "She even became the Harbinger of the Companions. Oh! And..." Desmond moved in closer and lowered his voice. "Most people don't know this, but it's said that she was also the leader of the Dark Brotherhood and killed Emperor Titus Mede II _and_ she was the Master of the Thieves Guild. They also say that she had been turned into a vampire and a werewolf. At different times of course." He snickered.

"Wow, you really did your research." I replied, glaring at Kari.

"I'm an admirer. She was incredible." He stared at the statue and grinned.

"Yes, she was." Kari mocked.

I was grateful that I wasn't technically alive while they made this statue. If I was, it might have actually looked like me.

"I'm going to get my armor repaired. I'll meet you all at the tavern." Ryne yawned and patted Desmond on the back.

"I'll go with you. I need a bow." I replied, taking the escape.

Ryne waited for me and we walked side by side to the blacksmith.

"A bow huh? Did the _Dragonborn_ inspire you?" He mocked.

"Sounds like you're not a fan." I pursed my lips.

"I find it all a little far-fetched."

"Oh? Which part?" I eyed him curiously. This was entertaining.

"All of it."

"You don't want to give me any details?"

"I can have Desmond give you another history lesson if you'd like." He joked.

"No thanks! I will pass." I replied and he smiled. "A smile looks good on you." The words slipped from my mouth. The smile left his face. _Oops…_ "I'm sorry, I-..."

"Ryne, It's good to see you." An older man wearing a blacksmith's apron approached Ryne and gave him a firm handshake.

"You too." He replied. "Balmolf, this is Ashe."

Balmolf was at least a foot taller than me and he had a mead belly. He reached his calloused, cut hands my way and I returned the gesture.

"It's nice to meet you sir." I replied.

"You as well ma'am. What can I do for you two this afternoon?"

"I need a repair on my armor and Ashe is looking to get a bow."

"Alright. Why don't you change inside? I think there's some leather armor laying around that you can use until I'm done." He motioned to the house and Ryne walked inside. "What kind of bow were you looking for?"

"What's your best bow?"

"Well, I recently made a special piece. It's very fine craftsmanship if I do say so myself. It's the only one of its kind." Balmolf pulled a bow from the chest under his table and my eyes widened.

"This is...beautiful." I replied, holding the bow.

It was made of fine engraved wood with rubies imbedded in the tips and the shelf of the bow. The length and draw weight were perfect.

"I'm going to be honest, I think this is out of my price range." I frowned, handing the bow back to him.

"What is your price range?"

"Well...right now I don't have any coin, but I was hoping to take a few bounties to fill my pockets." I gave a half smile.

"How 'bout I make you a deal. You retrieve something for me, and we'll call it good." He said, placing the bow gently into the chest.

"Retrieve? What do you need?" I asked curiously.

Balmolf took a moment to answer.

"My son...he kept bad company and it got him killed. The guy who killed him wears his amulet like some prize. It's the only thing that I have to remember him by. I've tried to offer others the job, but I'll be honest, these bandits are ruthless, so no one will accept it. Those who do...don't make it back."

"Done." I replied. I've always had a weakness for the grief-stricken.

"R-really!?" He stuttered.

"Yes. Where am I headed?"

"It isn't far from here. It's an old tower called Fort Hraggstad."

"I know it. I'll take care of it." I said. Ryne walked over and stood at my side.

"Do you have any other bows laying around that you could lend in the meantime? Arrows would be good as well" I asked, giving an apologetic smile.

"Sure. Let me go grab it." He returned the smile and walked inside.

"What's going on?" Ryne asked.

"I'm going to get a bow." I grinned in excitement.

"Please tell me you didn't actually accept that job." Ryne asked; He looked upset.

"Of course I did. It's the only thing he has left of his son. I want to help." I crossed my arms, disapproving of Ryne's...disapproval.

"It's suicide. Do you know how many bandits occupy that keep?" He asked.

"No, and I don't really care. I'm getting it back." I frowned, insisting.

Balmolf walked out and handed me a beautifully made glass bow, steel arrows, and a steel dagger.

"That's all I can offer. I'm sorry." He said.

"This is perfect. I'll see you soon with that amulet." I replied, smiling.

"Thank you, Ashe. Ryne, your armor will be ready by nightfall. I'll see you then." He said.

"Make it tomorrow." Ryne replied, looking at me in the corner of his eye. Balmolf smiled and waved as we walked off.

"Why tomorrow?" I asked, raising a brow.

"Because I'm going with you."

We walked towards The Winking Skeever but I stopped in my tracks out front.

"I don't need your help." I said, facing Ryne.

"Maybe not, but it's too risky for you to go alone. Besides, the last thing I want to do is listen to anymore Dragonborn theories from Desmond." He said.

 _Wow...he hated me before I even showed up._ I sighed.

"Fine."


	7. Chapter 7

**Recap:**

"I don't need your help." I said, facing Ryne.

"Maybe not, but it's too risky for you to go alone. Besides, the last thing I want to do is listen to anymore Dragonborn theories from Desmond." He said.

 _Wow...he hated me before I even showed up._ I sighed.

"Fine."

 **Chapter Start:**

"You're going where?" Kari asked.

"Fort Hraggstad. I'll be back at the cabin in a couple days." I said.

"Are you sure you don't want us to tag along?" Desmond asked with concern.

"I'm planning on doing this quickly and quietly. If we have a full group, we're more likely to be detected."

"And Ryne?" Kari asked, raising her brow.

"I'm going to make sure that she doesn't get herself killed." He replied.

"You know, last time you tagged along with me, _you_ almost got _me_ killed." I said, giving him a dry look.

"Sure," he scoffed. "You were _far_ from defenseless."

I smirked and stood up from my chair.

"Be careful." Bjorn said, catching my eye. He was most likely talking to Ryne but it was a slight relief hearing his voice for the first time since I threatened to kill him. _I should probably talk to him about that when I get back..._

"Are you sure about this? You guys just got back from the pass. Maybe you should rest for the night." Desmond frowned.

"Sleep is for the weak." I joked, but Desmond did seem to catch on.

"Is that true?" He mumbled to Kari. She facepalmed and I chuckled.

"We'll see you guys soon." I smiled and Ryne followed me out the door.

We made our way to the stables and Ryne climbed up on his horse. I bit my lip.

"Why _are_ you going with me?" I asked.

"Didn't we already go over that?"

"Well yes, but...is this out of distrust?" I furrowed my brows in suspicion.

Ryne didn't respond. Instead, he held out his hand to me.

"Are you coming, or what?"

I sighed, took his hand, and sat behind him.

* * *

It had been nearly three hours and we were nearing the fort. Ryne pulled back on the reins and we hopped off of the horse. I scanned the area for any signs of life while he secured the lead to a tree.

"Ready?" I said quietly. Ryne nodded.

We quietly sneaked through the bushes and stopped when the fort was in view. The men that patrolled the area cast shadows in the moonlight. My eyes followed their patterns. Two men stood outside of the defensive wall. Hammer strikes against a blacksmith block echoed against the mountain revealing a third man 30 feet away from the entrance, to the left. Most of them patrolled the high ground, looking out for any signs of life.

"Three on the ground, six on top." I whispered. Ryne nodded and I readied my bow. "You get the bottom. Wait for my signal."

Ryne readied his dagger and moved closer to the gate. I walked to the left side of the building and began to climb the bricks. When I looked over the wall, a man stood only a few feet away. Without a sound, I pulled myself up and snuck in behind him. The man didn't have time react before I broke his neck. His body became heavy but I caught him and gently laid him down.

Ryne got my signal and moved in. He carefully approached the guards up front. In a matter of seconds, they were on the ground.

I took a deep breath. This needed to be fast. My hand drew back and arrow and I began my assault.

One by one, they began to fall. Upper left, down; arrow to the head. Mid left, down; arrow to the head. Mid, down; arrows to the shoulder and chest. Right side, down; arrow to the neck. As the bodies began to drop down with a _thud_ , my last target peeked over the tallest tower. He was met with an arrow to the eye.

I took the stairs down and joined Ryne. He had a look of astonishment.

"Let's go." I whispered.

We made our way to the door on the right and opened it. The hinges creaked and we heard footsteps approaching us. Ryne leaned against the wall and waiting for the man to turn the corner.

"What was that?" The man whispered.

Ryne grabbed him in a choke hold and covered his mouth. The man squirmed and began to turn purple. When he stopped moving, Ryne placed his body on the ground. We turned the corner and followed the stairs down to the prison. I nocked an arrow and peeked an eye around the corner. Two men were gambling on a wooden table at the end of the hall. I quickly turned the corner and shot one in the head. The other bolted out of his chair but my arrow sent him down.

"Clear." I whispered and he nodded.

We walked outside and approached the last door; the forts main entrance.

"This has to be it." Ryne whispered.

He carefully opened the door and we walked through. I watched as Ryne closed the door. When I turned, a man was at the end of the hall with an arrow nocked, pointing at us. He released the arrow and I pushed Ryne into the opposing wall. The arrow flew between us and hit the door. I turned to the man and he nocked another arrow, backing away from us. I glared when I saw a pendant hanging from his neck. This was my target. The man released an arrow and I jumped off of the opposing wall to dodge, landing a punch in his face on my way down. He fell to the ground with a freshly busted brow and began to crawl away.

"Who the hell are you!? What do you want?" His voice shook in fear.

The man pulled out a dagger and lunged at me. I used my dagger to parry his attack and kneed him in the ribs hard enough to feel them break against my blow. He cried out in pain and fell to his knees. His cries became choking when I struck my dagger into his Trapezius. Life left his eyes and he went down.

"I think this is the last of them." I wiped the blood from my dagger and returned it to its sheath. Then I kneeled down and removed the amulet from his body. "Got it."

Ryne didn't say anything. He just nodded. After a quick search of the area, I was able to find a few coin purses that I secured to my belt.

"We're done here. We should head back before anyone else shows up."

Ryne and I headed out the door and back to the horse.

Nearly two hours had passed and he still hadn't said anything. It started to bother me.

"Is something wrong? You haven't said a word." I frowned.

Ryne didn't bother turning to look at me.

"I'm fine...I just…Where the hell did you come from Ashe?" He tone showed concern, as if he was threatened by me.

"I-..." At first, his question caught me off guard. He knew that I could answer that question but he also had every right to ask it. "I'm sorry." I lowered my head in guilt.

* * *

Ryne put his horse in the stables and we walked into the city. He hadn't spoken to me for hours and it felt like days. It didn't help that I had no idea what to say. Part of me wanted to be completely honest with him; to tell him everything. Although in doing so, he probably wouldn't keep me in his company. He had already made it very clear that he was not a fan of the Dragonborn.

"We should stay at the inn tonight. We can give the amulet to Balmolf in the morning." He said. I nodded and followed him into The Winking Skeever.

"Welcome back! What can I do for you?" The innkeeper smiled.

"Two rooms please." Ryne said, placing a stack of coins on the bar top.

"Sure. Right this way." She replied. We walked up the staircase and she motioned to the doors in front of her. "Just let me know if there's anything that you need."

We watched her disappear downstairs and then awkwardly stood there for a moment.

"Goodnight." I muttered and turned to walk away.

"Ashe wait-..." Ryne caught my hand. My heart slightly skipped and I turned to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry about earlier. What you did was...amazing. I've just never seen anything like it before. It took me time to process it."

Ryne released my hand and gave me a half smile.

"Thank you and I understand." I said softly, approaching my room. Ryne's eyes followed me and I took one last look at him. "Goodnight." I closed the door behind me and leaned my back against it.

Ryne's footsteps echoed in the hallway and his door closed.


	8. Chapter 8

_Hello all! I hope you are still enjoying the story! I'm sorry that I haven't posted in the last few days. I went on a vacation but now I am back and ready to post some more! Please let me know what you think of the story! I would love to hear what you have to say! If you'd like to receive updates on the chapters, give it a follow! Thank you for your support! :)_

* * *

 **Recap:**

"Ashe wait-..." Ryne caught my hand. My heart slightly skipped and I turned to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry about earlier. What you did was...amazing. I've just never seen anything like it before. It took me time to process it."

Ryne released my hand and gave me a half smile.

"Thank you and I understand." I said softly, approaching my room. Ryne's eyes followed me and I took one last look at him. "Goodnight." I closed the door behind me and leaned my back against it.

Ryne's footsteps echoed in the hallway and his door closed.

 **Chapter Start:**

I stared at the ceiling. Ryne's words had echoed in my head for most of the night. It made me realize how much I didn't belong here. Serana, Brynyolf, Vex, Delvin, Aela,...all of my friends were either dead or out of my reach. _Maybe I_ _ **should**_ _talk to Serana..._ I longed to see a familiar face; especially that of my closest friend. A knock at the door made me jump away from my thoughts and nearly off the bed.

When I cracked open the door, Ryne looked at me concerned.

"Hey, is everything ok?" He asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I'll be right out." I said, using the door to shield my body. I wasn't naked, but I was wearing a thin undershirt and shorts. Not exactly social attire.

Ryne nodded and I closed the door.

I quickly changed clothes and gathered my things. When I walked out of the door, Ryne was sitting at the table. His eyes met mine and I bit my cheek to lock my words away. Most of my night was spent thinking about how to handle what he said, but I never really came to any conclusion.

"Ready?" I asked, avoiding his gaze.

"Sure." He replied softly.

I passed him and headed down the stairs. His steps were close behind me. Ryne waved at the innkeeper on our way out.

"Come see us again soon!" She waved.

We walked in silence up the stone path to the forge. Balmolf was sharpening a steel sword. When I tapped on his shoulder he stood up. The amulet dangled from my hand and his eyes began to water. He grabbed the amulet and gently traced it with his thumb.

Balmolf nearly popped one of my lungs when he wrapped his arms around me and squeezed tightly. He sniffled against my shoulder, trying to keep it together.

Moments like this always made it worth it. To know that you did something that may seem unnecessary to most people, but means everything to someone. It was the only thing that he had left of his son and it had been worn and torn by the man who had taken his life. It wasn't about revenge, not even justice. It was about holding on to every last strand you have left of someone that you loved; a preservation of their memory.

"Thank you Ashe." He whispered.

"You're welcome." I pulled away from the hug and gave him a smile.

"And you too Ryne." He wiped his eyes and gave Ryne a firm handshake.

"Of course." Ryne replied, giving a small but genuine smile.

Balmolf walked over to his chest and pulled out the bow. He handed it over to me and laid his hand on my shoulder.

"It's all yours."

"Thank you." I accepted the bow and observed the craftsmanship once more. It was one of the best pieces I had ever laid eyes on.

"Ryne, your armor is in the house. Speaking of which, Ashe, would you allow me to repair your armor as well?" He asked, motioning towards the tear in my leg. My eyes followed his and I scanned the damage.

"No, that's alright. We really should get back to the others." I smiled.

"I could have it done in a couple hours." I opened my mouth to protest but Balmolf interjected. "Please, it's the least I can do after what you've done for me."

Ryne nodded.

"Alright. Let me go down to the general store and buy some clothes to change into." I smiled.

I looked around but it had never occured to me that the general store might have moved within the last 98 years. A sigh escaped my lips. _Where is my mind today?_

"Lady, could you please spare a coin or two?"

I looked to my right and met a pair of emerald eyes. A little girl with a tattered cloth dress and a blonde bob cut sat on a stone bench. Her skin appeared to be pale but it was hard to tell from the dirt and grime that covered her body. I walked over and kneeled down in front of her.

"What's your name?"

"Gemma." She replied, curling her fingers against the stone.

"Gemma? That's a beautiful name." I smiled when her cheeks turned rose red.

"Where are your parents?" I asked.

"I-...I'm not sure. The General said that he's still looking for them. They went to Morthal to trade but they never made it. No one has been able to find them, only the wagon." She frowned and her eyes began to gloss over. "I'm alone now. The other kids say that they just left because they didn't want me." Tears rolled down her face and I frowned.

"Hey…" I lifted her chin. "That's not true and you know it, in here." I pointed at her heart and then wiped her tears. She gave me a small smile. "How about next time I see him, I'll talk to the General and I'll help him look for your parents. What's his name?"

"Merrik. General Merrik." She sniffled and I nodded.

"In the meantime, Gemma, how about you and I make a deal? You show me where the general store is and I will buy you a new dress. Then afterwards, we'll get some food from the inn. How does that sound?" I held out my hand. She gladly accepted and guided me through the city.

Her cold hand was small and frail. She was so young and sweet, and the thought that her parents were gone was sickening. I had a gut feeling that they suffered the same fate as Ysara.

"What's your name?" She asked, looking up at me.

"Ashe." I smiled, scanning her features.

"We're here Ashe." She pointed to the building in front of us.

"Good job! I would have been lost without you." I exaggerated and she giggled. "Let's go find you a dress."

Gemma and I scanned the wares. She walked over to the dresses and began to poke through. I grabbed a dark red long sleeve v-neck shirt, a long black skirt, and some sandals. Gemma picked out a purple long sleeved dress. We also picked out a fur blanket, a heavy fur coat, and a beautiful doll that happened to be wearing a similar dress. The woman behind the counter lent us a room and we changed. The shirt hugged my curves and the skirt fit perfectly, but had a more-than-generous slit up the side. I shrugged it off. It was only temporary and the _goods_ weren't visible; It would have to do. I secured my bow on my back and folded my armor over my arm. Gemma's face lit up when she saw herself in the mirror. She spun around and giggled.

"Ready to eat?" I chuckled. She shook her head and skipped to the door. I thanked the merchant and paid. She waved as we made our way out.

When we walked outside, Gemma continued to skip around. Her dress fluttered around and she laughed. Her dance was interrupted when she bumped into someone.

"Sorry." She muttered.

"Hi Gemma."

Her nose pointed up and she beamed.

"Ryne!" She gave him a big hug.

I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised that she knew him, but I was. Especially when Ryne swooped her up and gave her a big hug.

"What a beautiful dress. Where did you get that?" He asked.

"Ashe got it for me." She pointed at me.

"Ashe?" Ryne followed her gaze. His expression wasn't far off from mine. "Wow. I almost didn't recognize you."

"Don't tease me." I raised my brow and gave him a dry look.

"No, I mean it. You look nice."

My cheeks burned.

"Uh...thanks." I mumbled.

Ryne put Gemma on the ground and she grabbed his hand.

"We're going to get lunch at the inn." She grinned.

"Is that so? Can I join you?" He asked. Gemma looked up at me, waiting for approval.

"Of course." I smiled.

We made our way back to Balmolf and I handed my armor over. Then we headed to the inn for lunch. Ryne and I both finished our meals and he leaned back, crossing his arms. We watched Gemma munch down. While she was distracted, I frowned and leaned into Ryne.

"Her parents...are they…" I whispered to Ryne and he nodded.

"Yeah. When their horse came back, the king sent some soldiers to look for them, but only the wagon turned up. Their belongings were missing so they said that it was bandits from a nearby camp, but it was an excuse. There were no tracks. No trace of them at all. They were taken." He replied.

It hadn't occurred to me how the disappearances were affecting others. She was a little girl living with her parents and now that they were gone, she was living on the streets. Everything was taken from her and she's so young that she doesn't understand. It had to be terrifying.

"We need to find them." I frowned. Ryne looked up at me and then at Gemma. His eyes softened.

Gemma finished the last of her meal and then grinned. Somehow, with honeyed words and a bag of coin, we managed to convince the innkeeper to give her a job as a dishwasher in exchange for food and shelter; at least temporarily.

"Well we need to get back to the cabin, but I promise we'll visit soon." Ryne smiled and Gemma and then ruffled her hair. She giggled and gave him a big hug.

"Bye Gemma." I said, gently patting her shoulder.

"Thank you Ashe." She replied and gave me a big hug. I returned it and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"You're very welcome. Word hard, okay? I'll come visit as often as I can." I booped her nose and she giggled.

"Okay." She gave us a cute, toothy grin.

We said our goodbyes and picked up my armor. After I changed, we headed back towards the cabin.

"It seems you have a weak spot for the broken." Ryne said.

"What makes you say that?"

"Getting the pendant and then helping Gemma. Usually, people only look out for themselves. You seem to be the opposite. You're very compassionate and clearly insane." He replied.

"Insane? That went from being kind and encouraging to rude." I intoned.

"It's true. You always seem to be in a hurry to throw yourself into the crossfire."

"Now you're just being a hypocrite." I lifted my brow.

"Hypocrite? How's that?" Ryne answered defensively.

"That's right. You may put on this whole 'tough guy' act, but you can't even scare an 11 year old girl and quite frankly, it's embarrassing for the both of us." I teased.

"Now who's being rude?"

"You started it." I chuckled.

Ryne turned and smiled. He looked quite pleased with himself and I wondered if it was because he was trying to get under my skin, or if he wanted to break the tension. Either way, it made me feel relieved.


	9. Chapter 9

_Hello all! Just wanted to say thank you for reading my story! I hope you're enjoying it so far. Please let me know what you think via review or PM. If you'd like to keep up with it, please follow/favorite. I am going to try to post as much as possible! Thank you again! - Sh4d3r_

* * *

 **Recap:**

"Now who's being rude?"

"You started it." I chuckled.

Ryne turned and smiled. He looked quite pleased with himself and I wondered if it was because he was trying to get under my skin, or if he wanted to break the tension. Either way, it made me feel better.

 **Chapter Start:**

"Ashe and I will scout the west." Kari said. She leaned into the map and outlined the area with her fingertip.

"Alright. The three of us will take the east." Desmond outlined his area and looked up. "We should all be back here by tomorrow morning at the latest."

"Are you sure you two can handle it?" Ryne asked, looking to me and Kari.

"And here we were worried about _you_ fools." Kari teased. Ryne's eye twitched.

"It will be fine. We'll see you in the morning." I chuckled, gathering supplies. This time, I was prepared. _Food, a blanket, a bedroll, and a_ _ **weapon**_ _._ I gave Ryne a dry look and he looked confused.

We walked out of the cabin. Kari and I waved and the guys watched us disappear over the hill.

"I assume that your attack on Fort Hraggstad was successful." Kari said.

"It was."

"And Ryne?" She asked. I gave her a confused look. "Does he know?"

"No. Although he seems to be getting more curious as time passes."

"That doesn't surprise me. He's very perceptive." She replied.

It didn't really help that the standards of combat had changed over the last 98 years. Had I been a little more caught up in the here and now, I might have the ability to be a little more discreet; Instead, I stuck out like a sore thumb.

"On the bright side, it seems that you've gained his trust; At least what you can gain without telling him who you are."

"I'm sure it's quite the opposite." I thought back to his reaction to Hraggstad.

Kari eyed me curiously but didn't press for answers.

* * *

When we reached the river, we headed south towards the mountains. My mind had been lingering on the usual things; men with trust issues, orphans, being over a century old.

Before I could take another step, Kari extended her arm and stopped me. Then she pulled me into a crouch and we hid behind some nearby bushes. Her brows furrowed and the look on her face was vicious. Something bad was out there. When I followed her gaze, I saw Thalmor soldiers in the distance, walking south. Kari motioned for me to follow her and we moved in closer.

"I don't understand why we're still out here. There's been no sign of her since Solitude. She's long gone by now." The soldier sighed in frustration.

My heart dropped. _Maybe the Thalmor sent me forward. But why? That doesn't make any sense. Then again, how did they find out that I was here? The only person that knows who I am is..._ I looked over at Kari. Could this be a trap? _No..._ I shook the thought from my mind.

Kari and I continued to follow the soldiers until they disappeared into Brood Cavern. We scanned the area for any other signs of life and it was clear.

"I don't understand. How could they know that I'm here? Do you think that they were responsible for bringing me here?" I laid against a rock and my mind went wild with panic.

At first, Kari looked confused, and then she caught on to my theory.

"Ember, they're not looking for you. They're looking for me." She said.

I looked up at her and my brows furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"I used to be a member of the Embassy. One of the higher ranking ones in fact. As such, I had a responsibility to marry into a family with the same power and status. My mother forced my engagement to the Thalmor General, Vallas. But he is cruel...sadistic. I tried to tell her but she didn't care and moved forward with arranging the marriage. I didn't know what to do, the only option I had was to run away. When I escaped, my fear quickly turned to anger, and spite. So I did the most heinous thing I could to spoil her image and taint her bloodline."

"You became a vampire." I gasped.

"Yes. Shortly after, I met Ysara and she helped me. She gave me a home, and a family." Kari's eyes dropped.

"Kari, I'm so sorry. How could a mother be so cruel?" My brows knitted and my expression was a mix of sympathy and disgust. It was a rhetorical question, but Kari responded anyway.

"You probably know the answer to that. High elves can live for hundreds of years. You've had a few run-ins with her." Kari replied. My eyes met hers in confusion. "My mother is Elenwen." She watched me carefully but I couldn't respond. I was in shock. "That's why I know so much about you."

"Why didn't you tell me this?"

"The last time that it came up, you had just discovered that you travelled nearly a century into the future. The timing didn't seem appropriate." She replied.

Her logic was sound, but it also made me realize that there was now another threat.

"Why are they after you? Are they going to kill you?" I asked.

"No. They're here to take me back. My mother has been sending soldiers out since I left. She wants to clean up my mess; to cure me of vampirism, force me to marry Vallas, and probably lock me away for the rest of my life." Her voice cracked.

"We won't let that happen." I glared and squeezed her shoulder lightly. "Let's take them out. Maybe we can find out what they know and gain the upper hand."

"Are you sure about this? If we get caught…"

"Yeah, I know. I'm sure." I said.

Kari waited for me to change my mind but instead, I readied my bow.

"Let's kill these bastards." I whispered. She smirked and nodded.

"I'm with you."

Kari and I snuck into the cave. Upon entering, the first thing that we noticed was a trail of blood on the ground. Things got even more ominous when we heard a man crying out in pain. The snap of a whip echoed against the mossy stone walls, and he cried out again.

We peeked around the corner and I immediately noticed that five people were kneeling on the ground with their hands, feet, and mouths tied. The whip struck again.

"Where is she!?" The torturer yelled in frustration.

"I don't know! Please stop. I don't know who she is!" The man pleaded.

When I observed the victims, they all looked unrelated. Two of them were farmers, one looked like a hunter, and the other two were Imperial soldiers.

"Then I suppose we no longer have need of you." He seethed.

He pulled his sword from its sheath and held it against the man's neck. The man began to sob. I glared and nocked an arrow.

"Die you filthy-"

The force of the arrow to his head sent his body flying into the back wall.

"Intruder!" Another Thalmor ran over to us and Kari engulfed him in flames.

Three more had appeared around the corner and charged at us. One of the soldiers ran at me with a greatsword but I dodged his strike and kicked him back. The second one charged at me with a dagger but I caught his hand, extended his arm, and punched his bicep hard. His arm went limp and the dagger hit the floor. I grabbed an arrow from my quiver and stabbed him in the neck.

A pair of arms wrapped around me but they went limp when Kari drove her dagger into the base of his spine and twisted. The first Thalmor had recovered and charged again. I swiftly nocked another arrow and his body skid across the dirt.

"That's all of them." Kari confirmed.

I secured my bow on my back and released the prisoners while Kari searched the pockets of the dead men.

"Help me get him down." I asked and the hunter nodded.

We unchained the Imperial soldier and carefully laid him on his stomach. He groaned in pain. By the looks of his back, they had been lashing him for weeks.

"Stay still." I said, placing my cold hands on his back.

His wounds began to heal and the color slowly returned to his face.

"Thank you." He said softly.

"Rest here for a moment to regain your strength." I said, pulling a blanket over him.

When I walked over to Kari, she was standing over the bodies.

"Do you think they're responsible for the missing locals?" I asked.

"If so, that makes _me_ responsible." Her brows knitted and she cursed under her breath.

"Kari…" I opened my mouth to oppose, but the other Imperial soldier interrupted.

"Miss, I know you've already saved our lives, and I will be forever grateful, but I must ask you for another favor." He said.

"What is it?" I asked.

"We need to get back to Solitude and tell the High King. He needs to know that the Thalmor are on the move."

"What do you need from _me_?" I lifted my brow.

"Someone to watch my back. A mercenary. My friend is too weak. He's lost a lot of blood so I have no choice but to carry him. Once we get to the city, the King will compensate you for your services."

I chewed on my lip. Normally I'd help in a heartbeat, but I was worried about Kari's current state of mind. _Maybe I should decline._

"I can take the others." Kari said. I looked back at her. "I'll go back to the cabin and tell Desmond."

"Are you sure?" I frowned.

"Yes." She replied.

Kari gave me a stern look. No matter what I said, she would have insisted. There was no point in arguing.

"Alright then. Let's go." I agreed and the soldier nodded in gratitude.


	10. Chapter 10

_I hope you're all enjoying the story! Let me know what you think! :3_

* * *

 **Recap:**

Kari gave me a stern look. No matter what I said, she would have insisted. There was no point in arguing.

"Alright then. Let's go." I agreed and the soldier nodded in gratitude.

 **Chapter Start:**

The theory that the Thalmor are responsible for the disappearances had quite an effect on Kari. I could almost feel the anguish emanating off her. But it was a theory that we had to consider. The prisoners had no relation to her at all, yet the Thalmor were still willing to torture them to death. If Ysara was captured, she obviously didn't provide any information. _Did they kill her?_ There was no doubt that the same thought hung over Kari like a dark cloud. We needed to know the truth.

 _How is Ryne going to react to this?_ I wasn't sure why, but I had an overwhelming urge to return to him. He was not going to take information well and I just...wanted to be there for him. Maybe it was best that I wasn't. He made it clear that I was nothing more than a thorn in his side. The only reason he followed me around was because he didn't trust me. _Perhaps it's best that I leave all together. I'm the last thing that they need right now; a pitfall of misfortune._

"What is your name?" I slightly jumped, forgetting that I wasn't alone. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." He said.

"No, that's alright. Sorry about that. My name is Ashe." I gave him a reassuring smile.

"Well it's nice to meet you Ashe. My name is Halnir, this is Thelen." He said motioning towards the man we carried over our shoulders.

"It's nice to meet you too." I smiled.

"Are you from around here? I don't think I've seen you before. I'm certain I would have remembered if I had." He chuckled. His voice carried a subtle flirtatious tone to it.

"I tend to move around."

"So you're a traveler."

"I guess you could say that." I wasn't _completely_ lying.

"Well thank the Divines that you came back when you did. Had you not, we'd be dead."

"I've been meaning to ask you about that. Did you happen to see a woman? Light hair and eyes. She's a Breton; around my age." I had hoped that maybe he knew something but he shook his head.

"No, sorry. We had been there for a couple weeks, but the only people that I saw were the people that you rescued." He replied.

I frowned and my eyes returned to the road. _Maybe they had other prisoners? Multiple camps? Perhaps Ysara was captured but is still alive._ Her chances of surviving the torture and impatience of the Thalmor were slim, but not impossible. Had I not gotten out of hand, I could have kept one of them alive for questioning.

"It looks like we made it." Halnir smiled and I looked up to see the Solitude gates. "It feels good to be home."

We made our way up to the Castle Dour and soldiers began to surround us.

"Halnir! Thelen! What happened to you!?" One of the men gasped and took Thelen off of my shoulder.

We carefully laid Thelen on a bed and he sighed in relief.

"We were captured by the Thalmor. They've been taking prisoners for questioning, asking about a woman."

"What!?"

"I'll tell you everything but first, I must go to the Palace. The King needs to know." Halnir turned to me and nodded.

I followed him to the Palace and to my surprise, it hadn't changed much compared to the rest of the city. We walked through the doors and a few of the soldiers gasped.

"Is that Halnir?" They whispered amongst themselves as we walked up the stairs. "Who is that woman?"

When we approached the throne, two men argued. Both were well armored. They looked related.

"My King, General, I'm sorry to interrupt but I bring unsettling news of the Thalmor advances." Halnir bowed. I followed suit.

All eyes turned to us.

"Halnir!?" The King asked.

"Your Majesty, we discovered that the Thalmor forces have been present in the Hjaalmarch hold. They're abducting and torturing locals for information. Thelen and I have been imprisoned for a fortnight. A few villagers as well."

My heart skipped. Up until this point, I hadn't considered how the King would react to Kari's involvement. Would he give her up to eliminate the threat? I suppose it would make the most sense but hopefully the Empire has grown a backbone since then. The General caught my gaze. He couldn't be much older than me. Either way, he was very young for the General of the Imperial Army. His jaw tensed as we locked eyes and I looked away. He continued to study me.

"Information? What information?"

"Information about an Altmer woman, named Lykaria."

"Where is this woman?"

"I believe she's escorting the other prisoners back to Mortal. They saved us." Halnir motioned towards me.

"Yes, I've heard of you. I am Vahlin Graywave, the High King of Skyrim." He said, observing me carefully. _What the has he heard?_ My brows furrowed in confusion. "Nearly everyone in the city is talking about what you did for Balmolf. Even more curious, how you did it in a few short hours and returned without a scratch on you. Once again, here you stand, unscathed after saving my men. What is your name?"

"Ashe." I replied.

"Ashe and her friend saved all of us. She healed Thelen and helped me carry him to the city." Halnir said.

"Well Ashe, you have my gratitude. You will be paid for your troubles. As for your friend, do you know what the Thalmor want from her?" The King demanded.

"I know that they have ill intentions for Kari."

"Does she have any allegiance to them?" He raised his brow.

"No and Kari probably hates them more than we do."

"I see. We had our suspicions that the Thalmor were responsible for the Hjaalmarch disappearances. It seems that we were correct. My men have been tracing their footsteps and attacking their camps, but we have been unsuccessful in purging them from Skyrim. Perhaps you would be interested in changing that." Vahlin said.

The General's gaze immediately averted and locked on to Vahlin. I was just as curious and confused as he was.

"What do you propose?" I lifted my brow.

"I could use someone like you. The Thalmor continue to either evade or conquer when we attack. It's time that we take a different approach. We need information to determine course of action. We need someone to eliminate the threat quickly and quietly. Based on what I've heard, you have the skill to take on such a task."

I bit my lip. Getting involved with the High King of Skyrim was not the inconspicuous approach that I planned to take while trying to find out how to get home. At the same time, being directly involved with them would grant me information on the the Thalmor's whereabouts and possibly, Ysara's whereabouts. It would also help me keep them off of Kari's tail and help me determine their involvement of my arrival. _I'm sure Ryne would be happy to have me out of the way as well. The pros outweigh the cons._

"I accept." I replied and Vahlin nodded.

"Very well. You will be under General Merrik's orders. He will fill you in on the details." Vahlin looked over and Merrik nodded.

"As you wish Father." He replied.

 _Father? That explains a lot._

"Halnir, I'm happy you and Thelen are alright. Go to the barracks and get some rest. We'll talk soon." Vahlin said and Halnir bowed and walked out. "Alma, please provide Ashe with her payment."

A woman stepped forward and pulled a large coin purse from the bag over her shoulder. By her facial structure, she looked to be a wood elf. She smiled, handed me the gold, and returned to Vahlin's side.

"Thank you." I said bowing.

"Ashe, you can follow me. I'll tell you what we know." Merrik smiled. I nodded and followed him out of the Palace.

Merrik and I walked side by side towards the Castle Dour. We spent a moment in awkward silence. Then he looked over at me and began to trip over his words.

"I-...Uhh…About earlier...I didn't mean to gawk. I'm sorry. I was just surprised that you were the source of the rumors. I just uh-..." His cheeks burned and he cleared his throat.

"Not what you had hoped for?" I teased.

"It's not like that. I just didn't expect you to be so...You know, maybe it's better if I don't talk at all." He chuckled nervously.

"Well hopefully I don't disappoint."

"You don't...I mean you won't. " He replied quickly. I giggled at his bright red cheeks.

Something told me that we were going to be good friends. He seemed very well mannered and buoyant. It was a welcome change from the other inhabitants of Skyrim. He had green eyes and light brown hair; He was very handsome. Merrik caught me staring in the corner of his eye I snapped out of my daze.

"I'm sorry I didn't properly introduce myself. My name is Merrik Graywave." He extended his hand and I accepted.

"Ashe."

"It's very nice to meet you Ashe." He returned the smile.

"You too." I chuckled.

We passed Balmolf and I waved. Images of Ryne and the others flashed in my head and I frowned. _I wonder how they took the news from Kari. Hopefully they're alright. Should I have been there? Maybe not...my face is probably the last thing that they want to see..especially Ryne._

"Ashe! You're already back!" A small hand tugged at my armor and I turned.

"Gemma!" I smiled, pulled her up, and spun her around. She laughed.

"Merrik!" She giggled and hugged his leg. It was the only part of him she could reach. He was tall.

"There's my beautiful Gem." He chuckled, messing up her hair. "I see that you've made a new friend." He looked up at me and smiled.

"Yep! This is Ashe. She's going to help find my parents." She grinned. His smile lowered slightly but Gemma didn't seem to notice.

"Well it just so happens that Ashe just told us that! Now we'll find them twice as fast." He tickled her and she ran behind me, laughing.

"That's right. We're about to go talk about that. Why don't you head back to the Inn. I drop by after and buy us some dinner. Sound good?" I grinned and Gemma's eyes lit up. She nodded and skipped off.

"She's amazing. The fact that she can still smile after everything that's happened to her." Merrik frowned.

"She clearly has a lot of faith in you. I'm certain it's well deserved. Besides, twice as fast, right?" I gave a reassuring smile and successfully perked him up.

"Right."


	11. Chapter 11

_Please let me know what you think! :D_

* * *

 **Recap:**

"She's amazing. The fact that she can still smile after everything that's happened to her." Merrik frowned.

"She clearly has a lot of faith in you. I'm certain it's well deserved. Besides, twice as fast, right?" I gave a reassuring smile and successfully perked him up.

"Right."

 **Chapter Start:**

"The main camp is Northwatch Keep, but they have small detachments littered all over the place. I think that we should prioritize Hjaalmarch hold first. That seems to be where people are going missing and where they are most active. Once we weaken their forces, we can plan our move on the Keep." Merrik said, motioning towards the map.

I stepped forward for a closer look and saw multiple red markings, in the same place that Desmond's map had them. They marked where people went missing. For a moment, I stared at one in particular; Ysara's. Surrounding that were small metal flags that were engraved with the Thalmor sigil. There were more than I expected.

"These are all detachments?" I asked and Merrik nodded.

"Those are the ones that we know of. Your friend must be important. The Thalmor have gone through a lot of trouble to find her." He said.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." Merrik responded.

"If you know where the Thalmor are, why not call upon your soldiers? You have an entire army. You have more resources, more men, and full power over Skyrim. Why aren't we fighting for it?" I realized that my words were a bit harsh, but it was true. It was infuriating that people were disappearing and the King hadn't taken full measures to prevent it or find them.

"I agree with you, but the Army is not what it was. It hasn't been for decades now." He replied. I waited for him to explain. "We haven't been at war for nearly a century and my father wants to keep it that way. If we needed, we could call for more recruits, but he's trying to avoid another war at all costs."

Maybe I was being biased, but I didn't agree. The Thalmor are arrogant and aggressive. If they push, they need to be pushed back. On the other hand, I shouldn't be in a hurry to involve myself in another war. For me, that war happened quite recently.

"So Hjaalmarch first? I guess that means I'm going here." I said, moving the flag. The location was one that I was very familiar with. It was where Astrid had extended an invitation to join her family of assassins.

"Alright. I'll grab my gear." Merrik said.

"Your gear?"

"For your first mission, I will accompany you."

"You don't have to do that. I'll be fine." I smiled.

"I insist. Besides, as the General, I need to know what you're capable of if I'm going to send you out in the field." He said.

"Is that so?" I replied, lifting my brow.

Merrik chuckled and gathered his things.

After a quick dinner with Gemma, we headed out of the gates. I frowned and my grip tightened on the bowstring that spanned across my torso.

"Merrik, I have a request."

"What is it?" His brows furrowed in concern.

"After we're done with this mission, could we make a stop? I would like to make sure that Kari is alright and I should probably tell the others that I accepted this position."

"Of course. I actually need to make a stop at Fort Snowhawk to check on my men. We can see your friends and then stay at the Fort for the night."

"Perfect. Thank you." I smiled.

"So we have a long trip ahead of us. Why don't you tell me more about yourself?"

"What did you want to know?" I replied, ready to lie my ass off.

"Well for starters, where are you from?"

"I'm actually from Skyrim. I just returned a few days ago."

"Is that so? I've never seen you around before."

"I've been on the road for a long time."

"Where has that road led you?"

"Wherever there's trouble." I chuckled.

"Ah, a thrill seeker." Merrik smirked.

"No, it's not like that. I just feel a responsibility to help people."

"Why's that?"

"Because I can. I fight for those who can't fight for themselves."

"That's very gracious. If that's how you feel, why haven't you joined the Imperial Army?"

"I'm not a fan of politics."

"I can't argue with that." Merrik chuckled. "Do you have family out here? Kids? A husband?"

"Well I never knew my parents and I don't have any kids. As far as marriage...well I'm not really wife material."

"I see." He playfully pretended that he was judging me and cleared his throat.

"Oh please. I don't have six toes or anything, I'm just not the type of person that could stay at home all day, waiting for someone." I intoned, pursing my lips and lifting my brows. Merrik snickered.

"I'm just giving you a hard time. I actually know what you mean. My father has tried to push me into it, but I couldn't give a wife the time that she deserved. There's always battles going on whether they're with my father or out in the field. Rarely do I find time to sit down by a fire or have a meal with a beautiful woman. In fact, earlier was the first time that I had done so in years." He gave a small flirtatious smirk.

"Very charming." I smiled.

"Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all night." He bowed and I laughed.

* * *

We crouched down as we approached the abandoned shack. Faint candlelight escaped through the breaks in the wood. Someone was definitely in there.

"Are you completely sure that it's occupied by Thalmor?" I whispered, pulling an arrow from my quiver.

"Yes. My men have reported that they've seen…"

"Don't move."

A cold blade rested against my neck and we both froze. Another blade rested against Merrik.

"Drop your weapons." The other man demanded. "Stand to your feet with your hands skyward."

Merrik and I obeyed and two Thalmor soldiers walked to the front of us with their swords extended. I had to act fast before they alerted the others. The Thalmor in front of me looked over to Merrik for a split second and it was all the time I needed.

I moved left and grabbed his wrist, extending his arm. My left hand blew out his elbow and then moved up to strike him hard in the throat, preventing his screams. I took his sword from his hand and drove it into his chest. On his way down, I unsheathed the dagger from his belt. With a quick turn, I flung the dagger at the other man and it connected in the side of his head.

"Let's go before someone finds the bodies." I whispered, grabbing my bow.

Merrik grabbed his sword from the ground and followed my lead. My eyes scanned the darkness, looking for any other signs of life as we approached the door.

I motioned towards Merrik with hand signals and instructed him to take the left after we entered. He nodded. After a deep breath, I kicked the door down and moved right. The Thalmor began to scramble.

On the right side, three Thalmor soldiers turned to look at me. Two charged with their swords and the other shot an ice spike at me. I spun to dodge the projectile and shot him in the heart. Then I nocked two arrows, kneeled, and took the other two soldiers down simultaneously. When I turned, Merrik stood over two bodies as well.

"Clear." I put my bow away.

"You know, you're not like any mercenary I've ever seen." Merrik sheathed his long sword and looked at the bodies behind me.

"Yeah, I get that a lot…"

"Would you be interested in joining the Imperial Army? I could really use a combat instructor." Merrik joked and I chuckled.

Per his request, we gathered and burned the bodies.

"Alright, lead the way." Merrik said, putting the fire out.

I nodded and we headed towards the cabin.

* * *

I knocked on the door and Desmond answered. He looked exhausted and upset. It appeared that Kari broke the news to everyone.

"Ashe, is everything alright?" Desmond asked, looking over at Merrik.

"I should be asking you that question. This is my friend Merrik. Can we come in? There's something I need tell all of you."

Desmond nodded and we walked in. Kari was sitting in a chair and Ryne stood to his feet, with his hand on his hilt.

"Merrik? What the hell do _you_ want?"

"Ryne. Shouldn't you be in a cell somewhere?" Merrik glared.

"I take it you two have history." I muttered.

"Ashe, what is he doing here?" Ryne asked, returning the glare.

"There's no need to be hostile. Merrik is with me."

"I can see that, but _why_ is he with you?"

"Well, that's what I came to talk to you about. Merrik and I just got back from the shack north of Morthal. We wiped out one of many Thalmor detachments." Ryne kept his eyes on Merrik and waited for a further explanation. "The High King hired me to eliminate the Thalmor threat. Merrik and I are going to be working together to find the missing locals. This will help us stay one step ahead of them and keep them off of Kari's trail. If I hear any news about Ysara..."

Ryne's eyes darted to me.

"Ashe, can I talk to you outside...alone?" Ryne interrupted.

My stomach turned. This was not going to go well. Ryne walked towards us, bumping Merrik's shoulder on the way out the door. I followed close behind and then he stopped and turned.

"Why did you bring him here?" Ryne asked, raising his voice.

"Obviously I didn't know the two of you hated each other."

"Not only did you bring him here, but you're going to be working with him?! What happened to helping us?"

"Are you serious? I'm not doing this for sport. The Imperials know where the Thalmor are hiding out and…"

"And they've done nothing this whole time!" He interrupted.

"Well now I'm involved and I'm going to take care of it. I thought you'd be happy about this."

"Why would I be happy?" He yelled.

"Because I'm leaving!" I yelled back. "I won't be your fucking problem anymore." Ryne expression softened ever-so-slightly but he continued to glare. "If I find out anything about Ysara, I'll let you know."

I walked passed Ryne and back into the cabin.

"We should get going." I said to Merrik. He frowned when he saw how flustered I was. "If I hear anything about Ysara, I'll let you guys know immediately. Kari, lay low for now."

When I turned to face Merrik, he took the hint and walked out the door. Before I exited, I turned to the others.

"Thank you...for everything. I'll talk to you soon." I said softly.

I walked out before the pit in my stomach could grow any more.


	12. Chapter 12

**Recap:**

When I turned to face Merrik, he took the hint and walked out the door. Before I exited, I turned to the others.

"Thank you...for everything. I'll talk to you soon." I said softly.

I walked out before the pit in my stomach could grow any more.

 **Chapter Start:**

Merrik opened his mouth to say something and closed it again. He had done it at least four times since we left the cabin. He frowned in the corner of my eye and guilt washed over me. He was an innocent bystander in this and I put him in an uncomfortable situation.

"Merrik, I'm sorry. I didn't know that you and Ryne didn't get along. Had I known, I wouldn't have dragged you into this."

"No, please. Don't be sorry. I'm the one that should apologize. You only wanted to speak with your friends and I made the encounter hostile." He lowered his head.

"I think Ryne is the one that made it hostile." I said dryly.

"Maybe so, but I should have been the better man."

"Oh, don't worry about that. Between the two of you, you'll always come out the better man." My brows furrowed. _Ryne is such an asshole._

"Forgive me for saying this, but I'm surprised that you are friends with someone like him. He's aggressive; selfish. You seem to be the opposite."

"The term 'friend' seems to be in question after what just happened. I think acquaintance would be more fitting." I replied. Ryne's smile flashed into my head and I bit my lip. "To be honest, I've only known them for a few days. They saved my life so I want to help them find their friend."

"You don't strike me as the type that would need saving." He chuckled.

"Contrary to popular belief, I'm not invincible." I smiled but it quickly faded as I recalled my arrival. "When they found me...I was wounded. Desmond and the others didn't know me, but they took me in. That's why I want to help."

"What happened? Before they found you?" Merrik's expression was sympathetic.

"I…" I paused and knitted my brows. "I don't really know. I just woke up and I was lost...scared."

"I'm sorry." He muttered.

"Kari thinks that what happened to me is connected to the abductions."

"That's why you took the job." He said, puzzling it all together.

"Yes and no. I don't think that the Thalmor were involved in what happened to me, but after Halnir...I think they may be involved in what happened to Ysara. I'm hoping that I'll find out more as I move against them."

"Well after tonight, I don't think I have to question whether or not you're capable of doing the job." He joked.

I looked up and gave him what I could muster up for a smile. Merrik returned the smile but concern lingered in his eyes.

When it went quiet, I continued to stew in my frustrations. No matter what I did, Ryne was always pissed at me. I wanted to help them, he didn't want me around. I try to leave to give him space, he gets mad. There was no winning.

Even though he infuriated me, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't care about him..All I wanted to do was help but he always seemed upset or distant around me. Kari told me not to take it too personally; that his short temper rooted from Ysara's disappearance. It was hard to tell how much of it was Ysara, and how much of it was me.

 _It doesn't matter. I'll find a way back home and I'll be out of his life. Then he would never have even met me. I'm sure it's exactly what he wants._

I stopped in my tracks. Something was close. When I turned, I nocked an arrow and aimed, but there was nothing there. My eyes narrowed. Merrik followed my lead and drew his sword. Then, no more than 10 feet away, a small rock shifted into the dirt. I didn't wait for another sign. My arrow struck his chest. The man's body materialized and hit the ground. _What the hell…?_

A branch snapped and Merrik swung his blade, cutting down another. Then we stood in silence. My fingertips tightened around the bowstring and pinned my arrow in place. The sound of crushed gravel made me turn left and I released, taking down another man. I readied my bow again.

All three bodies wore the same attire. The robes were all black and hooded. They resembled necromancers, but that seemed unlikely considering their method of attack. My eyes studied the dead man a few feet away. On his back, there was a faded shape that looked like the face of a dragon. It was a sigil that I didn't recognize.

Merrik grunted and I turned. When I did, my heart dropped. A man stood behind him and smiled viciously as he pulled his sword from Merrik's back. His body tumbled when my arrow struck his head.

"Merrik!" I yelled, running towards him. He fell to his knees, holding his wound. Blood seeped through his fingers.

Before I could get to him, a hand grabbed me by my hair and pulled me back. The other hand held a damp cloth over my nose and mouth. Strong fumes burned their way into my system and my body began to relax. Merrik and I locked eyes and he fell to his side. His eyes became heavy.

My attacker pulled me closer to his chest. I crashed my left foot down into his as hard as I could and elbowed him in the ribs. His grip released, allowing me to step forward. When I turned, my foot connected to his chest, sending him to the ground. He looked up as I released an arrow into his chest. I didn't wait to watch the life slip from his eyes. Instead, I turned and ran to Merrik's side.

Instead of kneeling down as I intended, my legs became heavy and unstable, causing my knees to slam hard into the dirt. A yelp escaped my lips as a sharp rock cut through my skin.

Merrik groaned when I pushed him onto his back.

"Stay with me." I whispered.

My hands rested on his chest and I tried to focus. The throbbing and spinning in my head slowed the process, but the wound began to heal.

"Ashe…" Merrik gasped and squeezed my arm, looking behind me.

When I followed his eyes, another man materialized and walked towards us. I nocked an arrow and released, but my body swayed and the arrow grazed his thigh. He gritted his teeth and continued towards us.

"Ashe...run…" Merrik pleaded.

I attempted to nock another arrow, but the man struck me in the face, sending me down. I got to all fours and blood dripped from my brow, into the dirt. The ground beneath me was spinning. The poison continued moving through my veins, burning its way through every bit of strength I had left. Footsteps echoed and approached. My limbs began to tremble, making it impossible to stand. A harsh blow to my stomach sent me back to the ground on my back.

The man straddled my hips and pressed another cloth against my mouth. I attempted to fight him off, but he punched me in the face again. My vision began to fade as the poison numbed my body, causing my arms to fall at my sides.

The man stood to his feet, hovering over me. A smirk tugged at his lips but disappeared when a dark figure tackled him to the ground. I couldn't move. Everything was shutting down. Warm hands held my face and my eyes slid open, meeting a familiar pair of amber-colored ones.

"Ashe!" He yelled, but he sounded so far away. "ASHE!"

"Ryne…" I whispered softly as my vision faded.

Everything went black.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Don't forget to follow/favorite if you would like to be updated when I post chapters! Also, I would LOVE to hear your feedback via review or PM! Thank you all so much for the support! You're amazing!**_

 _ **P.S.: Special shout-out to Demidragon! Thank you for your consistent support and feedback! It means the world to me! :)**_

 _ **-Sh4d3r**_

* * *

 **Recap:**

Warm hands held my face and my eyes slid open, meeting a familiar pair of amber-colored ones.

"Ashe!" He yelled, but he sounded so far away. "ASHE!"

"Ryne…" I whispered softly as my vision faded.

Everything went black.

 **Chapter Start:**

My sore, bruised eye slid open and I studied the unfamiliar stone ceiling above me. _What the hell happened?_ It didn't take me long to recall the previous night and my body shot up in a panic.

"Whoa! Take it easy." A warm hand rested on my arm and I grabbed it, ready to strike. When I turned, my grip relaxed.

"Ryne? Where's Merrik? Is he okay?!"

Fear washed over me as I replayed the events in my head. Ryne's eyes softened.

"He's fine. He's just resting. You should do the same." He said, pushing gently against my shoulder.

I obeyed and laid back down. My entire body still felt slightly numb and exhausted. Unfortunately, the numbness didn't help with my splitting headache or the gashes in my brow, knee, and cheek. The more my body woke up, the more the pain amplified.

"The mage should return soon to work on you. He was working on Merrik all night." Ryne said, noticing my discomfort.

"What the hell did they do to me?" I winced. My voice was scratchy. Ryne grabbed a tankard of water and handed it to me. "Thanks." I took a sip and handed it back.

Then, he grabbed a cloth from the table and showed it to me.

"Whatever it is, it's clear, but very potent. The mage said it was some kind of paralysis poison that knocks you out. Whoever those men were, I don't think they were trying to kill you."

"Where are we?" I look around, taking note that I was laying in one of many beds lined up against the walls of a large room.

"Fort Snowhawk." He replied, looking around.

"What? How did we get here?"

"When I found you guys, Merrik was in bad shape. Luckily, the fort was up the road. I alerted the soldiers and they brought us here."

The events of the previous night had replayed in my head, but a few things didn't add up.

"How did you find us Ryne? What were you doing out there?" When my eyes locked on his, he frowned.

Ryne rubbed the bridge of his nose and then looked up at me.

"I was trying to catch up with you."

"Why?" My brows furrowed in concern. "Is everyone okay? Did something happen at the cabin?"

"Everyone is fine Ashe, I... I followed you to apologize." He admitted.

"Apologize?" I lifted my brow, resisting the urge to check his temperature. "For what? Our fight?"

"Yes."

"You chased me down to apologize to me about a stupid fight that we had?" I repeated, making sure my facts were correct. Ryne nodded. At this point, I was extremely concerned for his health. "Not that I don't appreciate it, but that seems a little excessive. You couldn't wait a few days until I got back and checked in?"

"No... well yes. I could have but I didn't want to."

"Well for future reference, you don't have to chase me across Hjaalmarch. I would have come back eventually." I teased but Ryne's expression became more intense.

Had he not been there last night, my return to the cabin might have been in question. Based on his frown, that fact had already occurred to him.

"That's not it...it's…" His eyes dropped and he leaned forward; resting his elbows on his knees and linking his hands. Then he exhaled. "Awhile back Ysara and I got into a big fight. We'd been having problems for some time, but that night was the worst one yet. She told me that she didn't want to marry me and that she didn't love me. I got upset and…" His brows furrowed and his hands began to tremble. "I told her that I never wanted to see her again...so she left." He looked up at me and his eyes were glossed over. "Then she disappeared, just like the others. It was my fault."

My heart ached.

"Ryne…"

"After our fight yesterday, I panicked. Not knowing when or if I'd see you again. This time, I wanted to apologize while I had the chance...and I almost didn't." His eyes examined the cuts and bruises littered across my face.

Despite the pain, I stood up and grabbed his hands, pulling him to his feet. He opened his mouth to protest but I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in. After a moment, his arms snaked around my waist and he pulled me closer, resting his head on my shoulder.

His disposition suddenly made sense. Losing Ysara and feeling the guilt for her disappearance made him paranoid about protecting his friends. All this time, he wasn't angry, he was just...scared.

"Ryne, I'm so sorry… for everything." I whispered.

"Me too." He replied.

We broke the hug when the door opened. Merrik approached with the mage at his side. Ryne helped me back down to the bed.

"Merrik, how are you feeling?" I smiled. Seeing his face was a relief.

"Alive, thanks to both of you." He smiled and walked over, sitting next to us.

"Were you able to translate the letter?" Ryne asked.

"Letter?" My brows furrowed in confusion.

"Yes. Ryne found a letter on one of the men, but it was in another language. Luckily, one of the men at this Fort knew how to read dragon." Merrik frowned and handed me the letter.

 ** _Hin krazahd los Lokoltuv miil voth suld lingraan sahqo om, heldmul miin, ahrk kun fahin karaak. Rek los rutkei ahrk nii los vogrozah tol rek fen kos naalein. Drun ek wah zey nahlaas ahrk krii naangein wo kropah._**

My stomach twisted and turned. I already knew what it said but the words pounded in my ears as Merrik read them carefully.

"It says 'Your target is an Imperial woman with shoulder length red hair, cedar eyes, and light-colored skin. She is dangerous and it is unlikely that she will be alone. Bring her to me alive and kill anyone who interferes.'"

Ryne's eyes widened and locked on me but I was already occupied by my thoughts. _Who are these guys? What do they want? Do they know who I am? Did they have something to do with sending me here?_ The fact that the letter was written in dragon definitely supported that.

"Have you ever seen this sigil before?" Ryne asked, presenting us with one of the cloaks to us.

My stomach turned again and this time, it made me sick. I stared at the red dots on the cloak and shook my head.

"No, but I have seen that dragon. That's Alduin, the World-Eater. Perhaps it's some kind of cult?" Merrik grabbed the robe and observed it carefully.

"Ashe, you look pale, are you alright?" Ryne asked.

I snapped out of it and took a deep breath.

"Yes, I'm fine. Sorry."

"Do you have any idea what these men want from you?" Merrik asked.

"No." I muttered and bit my lip.

It wasn't a _complete_ lie. I'm certain that whoever these cultists were, they were after the Dragonborn, but I didn't know why.

"Well if that's the case, it's probably someone that you pissed off. You do have a talent for that." Ryne smirked.

"Wait until they meet _you._ " I scoffed.

Ryne and I exchanged playful smirks.

I looked up and Merrik was uneasy. The poor guy spent one day with me and I nearly got him killed; the General of the Imperial Army no less. That is something that I _did_ have a talent for. I was the lure of misfortune.

"Merrik...I'm sorry I dragged you into this. You could have been killed. Had I known, I-..."

"Ashe, don't apologize. It wasn't your fault." Merrik gently squeezed my forearm to reassure me.

I pursed my lips and nodded, not completely convinced. Ryne's eyes followed Merrik very carefully. Merrik clearly wasn't a threat to my well-being so it was strange to see Ryne relax as Merrik retracted his hand.

The mage stood over me and began to heal my wounds.

"Do you know how long the poison will be in my system?" I asked and the mage shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. This is the first time that I've encountered a poison like this; it is not common. Considering that you have most of your movement back, I'd say that it will take one or two more days for it to be completely gone, but that's just a guess." He said, focusing on his restoration.

I nodded and relaxed while he finished up.

"Thank you." I said. The mage nodded and walked out of the room. Ryne lent his hand to help me to my feet and I turned to Merrik. "So, what now? What's my next target?"

"Are you sure you still want to do this. Having those men and the Thalmor on your tail could be risky." Merrik frowned.

"Absolutely. The Thalmor need to be stopped. As far as these cultists, I don't know what they want, but next time, I'll be ready." I said, securing my quiver and my bow to my back.

"Well if that's the case, you shouldn't travel alone." Merrik said.

"She won't." Ryne replied.

I raised my brow and looked over to him.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm going with you. I want to hunt down the Thalmor just as much as you do."

I looked over at Merrik. He was not thrilled.

"Ryne, I appreciate what you've done for us, but Ashe was chosen for this task by the High King. He will assign her a capable partner from the Imperial Army." Merrik insisted.

"I wasn't asking permission. You've seen her in combat. There is no man in your army capable of protecting her if she can't protect herself, so I will. I'm not leaving her side again." Ryne's voice was stern. His words and persistence surprised me.

 _And here I thought that he didn't want to be around me…_ They stared each other down for a moment and Merrik sighed.

"Fine, but I can only compensate and confer with Ashe." Merrik looked over to me. "I've prepared a map of locations for you. Once you complete those, come back to the Castle Dour in Solitude and we'll discuss our next move." He handed me the neatly folded map.

"If you're going to come with me, we're going to need someone to protect you from me." I muttered, looking over at Ryne. His dry look revealed that he was less than amused by that joke.

"Be safe out there." Merrik said.

"We will. I'll see you soon." I smiled.

Merrik returned the smile and walked off. When I looked over at Ryne, he seemed upset.

"What's wrong?" I knitted my brows.

"Nothing." Ryne muttered, lowering his gaze.

I shrugged it off.


	14. Chapter 14

**Recap:**

Merrik returned the smile and walked off. When I looked over at Ryne, he seemed upset.

"What's wrong?" I knitted my brows.

"Nothing." Ryne muttered, lowering his gaze.

I shrugged it off.

 **Chapter Start:**

"It looks like there are only three of them." I whispered, peeking over the boulder.

The Thalmor soldiers were camping under what was left of a tall stone structure. Two of them were no longer visible. They had tucked themselves in the corner to avoid the rainfall. The other one was chatting, warming his hands by the fire.

"Do you think we should stake it out? See if any more show up?" Ryne asked.

"I don't want to wait for them to find someone to torture. If we strike now and the others find the remains of the camp, they will most likely fall back."

"Then they'll alert their superiors." Ryne looked disapproving.

"Good." I replied, nocking an arrow. Eventually the word will get back to Vallas. I was very excited to meet him. Removing his head from his shoulders was something I was really looking forward to.

Ryne sighed and pulled his dagger from his belt. Just as I was about to release my arrow, the soldier walked behind the wall, out of my view. I grumbled and returned the arrow to my quiver.

"Do you have another one of those?" I asked, motioning to his dagger.

"You're an acting assassin for the High King of Skyrim and you didn't bring a close-range weapon?" Ryne gave me a dry look.

I returned the look, placed my bow string on his thigh, and pulled back. He groaned through his teeth when it snapped him.

"Really!?" Ryne looked at me in disbelief and rubbed his sore leg.

"I asked for a weapon, not an attitude." I scolded.

"You are a pain in my ass!" He fussed.

Ryne mumbled some colorful words and pulled a small hunting knife from his boot. My fingertips pinched it, holding it up between us.

"What am I going to do with _this_? Kill a rabbit and make them dinner?" I deadpanned.

"Knowing you, you'll kill all three of them before I get there and make me feel inferior." Ryne pouted and I chuckled, handing his knife back to him. It wasn't going to be very useful.

"Well now's your time to shine. You're attacking first." I smirked.

Ryne moved in on the left and I moved right. We both hunched down in bushes and he waited for my signal. I whistled and all three men stood up to look for the source. Ryne crouched forward and stabbed the soldier on the far right in the throat. The other two turned to him and I darted toward them. The soldier on the far left flew into the stone wall when my foot connected to his chest. The man to my right tried to draw his blade but I grabbed his hand and forced the blade back into its sheath. My right hand uppercut his jaw and he stumbled. I drew his blade and planted it into his chest, then I quickly turned, blocking the other man's attack.

He moved to the side and released his weight on his sword, causing me to slightly tumble forward. Then he punched me in the face, sending me to the wet grass. I looked up and he hovered over me with his sword in the air. As he swung down, I prepared to dodge, but Ryne used his forearm to stop the strike stabbed him in the stomach. The soldier's body dropped at my feet.

Ryne turned and looked concerned. He helped me up and frowned.

"Thanks." I muttered. My heartbeat accelerated when his hand gently wiped the blood from my face.

"Are you OK? He got a good shot on you." He asked, examining my brow.

"Just a papercut." I joked. I held my hand to my brow and healed the cut to keep the blood from my eye. "We should find some shelter. The rain isn't going to let up anytime soon."

Ryne nodded and helped me throw the bodies into a crevice.

* * *

We walked a couple miles and entered the Four Shields Tavern in Dragon Bridge. The fire was a welcome relief to our half-frozen bodies.

"What can I do for you?" A short man with a red beard and a shiny head grinned at us from the bar top.

"Two rooms please." I shivered. We approached the bar and Ryne pulled out his coin. "I'll get it this time." I flashed a smile to Ryne and placed the gold down. The innkeeper gladly collected the payment, stashing it behind the bar.

"Thanks." Ryne murmured, putting his purse in his pocket.

"Sure thing! You can take the two rooms on your left. My name is Enmon. Please let me know if you need anything else." He smiled.

"Thank you." I smiled back and then turned to Ryne. "I'm going to go change."

"Same here." Ryne replied.

After changing into my long sleeve shirt and skirt, I hung my wet clothes in the wardrobe. I snatched a blanket from the bed and walked out. Ryne was at the bar top wearing a black long sleeve sweater and black pants. The shirt fit his features quite nicely. His eyes locked on me and my cheeks began to burn.

"Sir?" Enmon repeated.

Ryne snapped out of it and turned to Enmon. I walked away and took a seat close to the fire. Shortly after, he followed suit and handed me a bottle of mead.

"Thanks." I smiled and took a swig.

"So where are we heading tomorrow?"

"Merrik marked off an area a few miles Northeast of here. It looked like a campsite. After that, we're clear to head back to Solitude. I'll meet with him and we'll go from there."

"Oh joy." Ryne sighed.

"Yes, you sound very thrilled." Ryne didn't appreciate my sarcastic tone. "What's with you two anyways?" I lifted my brow.

"We've had a few bad encounters." Ryne replied, staring at the fire.

"Obviously. Every encounter you have with each other is a bad one." I muttered.

"By 'encounter', I mean that he's arrested me a few times." Ryne crossed his arms.

I couldn't help it. I laughed.

"Did you need training in sneaking?" I teased.

"Yeah, yeah, it's hilarious." He replied sarcastically. "What about you two? You both seem really _friendly_ with each other."

"Wha-..." I choked on my mead. Ryne waited patiently for an answer. Meanwhile, I was coughing up a lung. "I barely met him yesterday. What the hell makes you say that?" My voice was scratchy.

"Seriously? Every time he looks you, he undresses you with his eyes." Ryne scoffed.

"I think you're seeing things."

"I'm a man, I know the look." He looked at me as if he was waiting for me to agree with him. "Pretend all you want, I saw the way _you_ looked at him too."

"What are you talking about?" I deadpanned.

"Oh please. The way that you smiled at him said it all."

"I know you're unfamiliar with the concept of manners, but that's what it was."

"Keep telling yourself that." He rolled his eyes.

"It sounds like you're just trying to find more reasons to hate him."

"Trust me, I already have all the reasons I need to do that." Ryne rolled his eyes. "I'm surprised that he's your type."

"Why wouldn't he be?" I replied, intentionally pushing his buttons. "He's strong, intelligent, handsome...not to mention he's the King's son and an Imperial General." With every compliment, Ryne sunk lower in his seat. I chuckled. "Even if I _was_ interested, it wouldn't matter."

"Why's that?"

Telling him that I was planning on returning to my time wasn't really an option. But it made me consider the fact that once I went back, I'd never see any of these people again. It had been a rough few days, but it wasn't all that bad. In such a short time, I had made allies, friends. My smile dropped when I realized that I would eventually have to say goodbye.

Ryne's expression went from irritation to concern. I had almost forgotten what we were talking about.

"He's the King's son. He's going to marry someone with political standing; a noble or something." I frowned and bit my lip.

"You seem pretty broken up about that." He replied, looking dejected.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I just don't feel good all of the sudden." I realized that my reaction was likely taken out of context.

"Maybe you should eat something. I'll get you some food." He stood up and walked to the bar top before I could protest. Shortly after, he returned with a bowl of stew.

"Thanks." I muttered.

I quietly sipped my soup down and stared at the flames. Ryne stole a few glances here and there, but it didn't bother me, I was busy brooding.

First, I didn't want to be here and now I was scared to go back. It was almost laughable. Ryne and I butted heads every now and then, but I know that he would have my back no matter what. Kari took me in without question; She gave me a temporary home and welcomed me into their dysfunctional family. Desmond was so kind-hearted and compassionate, even after what happened to Ysara. _Ysara…_

She was lucky to have people that cared about her. She had been missing for almost a year and they haven't given up. I couldn't even imagine how Ryne felt. It wasn't his fault but he still carries the guilt on his shoulders and had done so for so long.

"Do the others know what happened that night?" I asked, keeping my eyes on the fire. Based on Ryne's change of expression, he knew what I was referring to.

"Yes. I told them everything." His voice was soft. "Why?"

"When Kari told me about her, she said that you were engaged. Yesterday, you told me that you called off the engagement. I wasn't sure if they knew." My eyes met his and sadness clouded his features.

"They knew that we were having problems; we had been for a long time. To be honest, I don't even remember how that fight started. When I told the others what Ysara said, they brushed it off. It wasn't the first time that she had threatened to end things, but that time, she meant it. If they saw the look in her eyes when she told me that she didn't love me, they would know that nothing could mend it this time."

"You must really love her. Even after all of that, you still spend every day looking for her. She's lucky to have you."

"I'll always love her, but not in that way, not anymore." Ryne's eyes dropped and his brows knitted. His words caught me off guard. "When she told me that she didn't love me, it hurt to accept because I realized what we had done; We had torn each other apart so much that there wasn't anything left between us. I'm not good for her. She needs someone better."

"I'm sorry…" I gently squeezed Ryne's forearm. "But don't put yourself down. You're an amazing person. A huge pain in the ass, but…" I teased, retracting my hand. Ryne looked up at me with a small smirk. "You're very strong-willed and loyal to the people you care about; a quality that's not as common as it should be. Ysara fell in love with you for a reason. Sometimes things don't work out. It doesn't make you less of a person."

"Wow, that's the nicest thing you've said to me."

"I'm sure I'll regret it by tomorrow." I smirked.

"Most likely." He chuckled. "Thank you, Ashe."

Ryne smiled and for once, he looked…happy. I examined his face, carefully memorizing every detail. The thought that I would never see it again made my heart ache.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Sorry about the delay on this chapter! Once again, I hope you're all enjoying the story. Please let me know what you think! I would LOVE to get your feedback via review or PM. Also, please be sure to follow/favorite the story so you can receive updates on the chapter postings! Thank you all!**_

 _ **-Sh4d3r**_

* * *

 **Recap:**

Ryne smiled and for once, he looked…happy. I examined his face, carefully memorizing every detail. The thought that I would never see it again made my heart ache.

 **Chapter Start:**

In addition to Ryne's face, I had also memorized every groove and knot in the wood ceiling above my bed. It had been yet another sleepless night. Footsteps creaked against the wood floors of the Inn. It was late. I slid out of bed, got dressed, and gathered my things.

I opened the door and took one last glance at the room, being sure that I didn't forget anything. When I turned, I smacked right into Ryne's chest. The lack of sleep had clearly taken its toll because the force sent me stumbling back. Ryne grabbed my biceps and pulled me into his chest.

"Whoa."

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"Are you OK? You don't look so good." He frowned as he examined my face.

"I'm OK. Just couldn't sleep." I rubbed my head and groaned as it pounded viciously. Today was going to be a rough day.

The warmth of Ryne's hands on my arms made them feel weak. I lowered my head, trying to hide my blazing cheeks. He must have noticed my change in complexion because his hands dropped to his side.

"Maybe we should stay in."

"No, I'm fine." I gave him a reassuring smile but he didn't buy it.

"Ashe...what's wro-..."

"Come on. We should get going." I said, brushing passed him. He followed close behind.

* * *

The walls of my mouth were sore and raw. I had been anxiously biting at my cheeks since we had left the Inn.

Ryne had stolen a few glances of me here and there and every single time, my stomach fluttered. I didn't know how it happened, but my time in mental solitary confinement last night made it obvious that I had developed an attachment to him. It was still unclear to me what exactly that meant, but I was trying to convince myself that it was something other than affection and attraction. Had I just given in and accepted it for what it was, I probably would have gotten some sleep.

"Did I say something or do something that upset you?"

His voice almost made me jump out of my skin. _Get it together Ember. What the hell is wrong with you?_ When I looked over at him, he frowned.

"No, not at all. I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind right now." I tried to give a small smile but nervously bit my cheek again.

"Well if there's anything I can do, let me know." He replied.

I averted my eyes, avoiding his sincere smile. It was only making it more difficult for me to function. Ryne's eyes went forward as well. We had arrived.

The campsite consisted of two pitched tents, a few empty barrels, and a wet fire pit. When I looked at Ryne, he had the same alert look that I did. We both scoured through the camp, but it looked like it hadn't been occupied for a few days.

"What the hell?" Ryne mumbled.

"They must have gotten orders to fall back." I replied.

"So, what do we do now?" Ryne asked.

"Well...I guess we head ba-..."

An arrow ripped through the trees. I tried to move out of the way but it connected. A yelp escaped my lips when it ripped into my thigh.

"It's her! It's the assassin!"

Thalmor soldiers began to advance through the trees.

"Shit!" Ryne yelled.

He quickly swooped me into his arms and carried me to cover. We fell back behind a rock and I stared at the arrow sticking out of my leg. Ryne peeked over the rock but quickly backed down when their arrows shattered against the stone.

"Ashe..." Worry echoed in his voice.

"I'm fine." I groaned.

Ryne kneeled to my side but I kept my eyes on the arrow; it needed to be removed. I clutched it in my hands and took a few deep breaths. Then I snapped the arrow in half. The movement sent a jolt of pain through my body, but it amplified when I pulled the remaining shaft from my skin. I cried out in pain. Ryne pulled out some cloth and wrapped the wound as well as he could.

"Heal yourself. I'll try to distract them." He unsheathed his dagger and ran out from the boulder.

"Ryne!" I reached out for him, but he didn't stop.

Arrows darted passed, missing him by mere inches.

My attention returned to my leg. I moaned in relief when the wound began to heal. I had failed to close it completely, but it would have to do.

My brows furrowed in frustration. _It was my fault for letting my damned guard down._ I took a deep breath, stood to my feet, and nocked an arrow. Pain was shooting through my body but as their footsteps drew closer, the adrenaline kicked in and eased it.

When the first soldier turned the corner, she was immediately met with an arrow to her eye. I quickly grabbed the sword and dagger from her body.

Two more soldiers charged from the front and one of them flanked behind me. The soldier behind me nocked an arrow. When she released her shot, I deflected it and threw the dagger towards her. The blow to her chest sent her body flying back.

I planted the sword vertically into the soil at my feet. Then I nocked another arrow, shooting the next soldier in the chest. The third soldier charged at me with his sword. I pulled the sword from the ground and evaded his attack.

We exchanged a glare. He charged at me again and the metal clashed to a tie. The soldier grinned and kicked my thigh. I cried out and fell to my knees.

"Ashe!" Ryne yelled.

He tried to run to me but he was cut off by two more Thalmor.

My attacker tried to strike while I was down. I rolled out of the way and quickly got to my feet. We tied blades once again. This time, I directed the tie to the right and forced him to angle his sword away. Then, I grabbed the hand that held his sword and twisted it down. The sword pierced the ground and I kicked it away. He stepped back but didn't make it very far. I slashed the blade across his chest.

"Drop your weapons!"

When I turned, I saw two soldiers. One of them held a sword to Ryne's neck. Three more bodies were littered around them. He put up one hell of a fight.

"I said, _drop your weapon_." The woman seethed.

Ryne and I locked eyes. The way that he looked at me was unexpected. He was calm. He gave a light nod and I understood...he trusted me.

The soldier began to lose patience and the blade drew closer to Ryne's neck. I held my hand up in submission and slowly kneeled, placing the sword on the ground.

"The bow too!"

I removed the bow from my back and kneeled to place it down. Before it touched the soil, I quickly nocked an arrow and shot her hand. She dropped the blade and Ryne caught it. He turned and stabbed her. The second soldier ran towards Ryne but I shot him in the back of the head.

When things finally went quiet, my adrenaline faded. The pain and exhaustion kicked in and made my leg tremble. I leaned against a rock and groaned. Ryne quickly ran to my side.

"Are you alright?"

"Never been better." I winced.

Ryne chuckled.

"Come on. Let's get you to Eve. She can patch you up."

Ryne walked over and lent me his arm. His warm hand wrapped around my waist and pulled me in. My heart pounded aggressively in my chest. It was followed by butterflies and embarrassment. Once again, I caught his inviting scent. Everything about him made my senses go wild.

"I'm sorry. This seems to be a common theme lately." I frowned.

"It does, doesn't it? You attract trouble like bees to honey."

"Yeah, I know." My eyes dropped.

"To be fair, you throw yourself in front of the blade."

"What do you mean?" I lifted my brow.

"You take on everyone else's problems. Being in a position like that draws a lot of attention; sometimes, the bad kind. It doesn't help that you're beautiful."

When the words left his mouth, his arm tensed. My guess was that he didn't intend for that to slip out. It made my heart race even more. At this rate, it was going to explode.

"Uh...thanks..." I muttered.

Both of our faces turned red. There was no doubt that he felt me tense up too. I wanted to pull myself away from him so I could regain my composure, but I would probably just fall over.

"So, the Thalmor were ready for you this time. They even recognized you." Ryne changed the subject.

My brows furrowed.

"Yeah, that crossed my mind too. I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. But now that I know, I'll try to avoid throwing us into another ambush."

"Sounds good to me." Ryne chuckled.

* * *

When we arrived at Dragon Bridge, Ryne managed to sweet talk a farmer into giving us a ride to Solitude. He helped me up the wagon and took a seat next to me. Not long after we got on the road, my body became heavy and I drifted off to sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

**Recap:**

When we arrived at Dragon Bridge, Ryne managed to sweet talk a farmer into giving us a ride to Solitude. He helped me up the wagon and took a seat next to me. Not long after we got on the road, my body became heavy and I drifted off to sleep.

 **Chapter Start:**

"Ashe." Ryne said softly.

I hummed softly to respond but I didn't want to wake up. My warm pillow moved slightly. _That's weird._ Ryne gently shook my shoulder.

"Ashe, wake up. We're here."

"Hmm?" I murmured.

When my eyes slid open, I saw the docks. A soft groan escaped my lips when my leg throbbed.

"Come on." Ryne said.

His voice sounded close. I turned to look and realized that I had fallen asleep on his shoulder. My body shot up and I groaned in pain. For a split second, I had forgotten about my leg and now, I was paying dearly for it. Ryne blinked blankly at me.

"Come on. We should get you healed."

I nodded and he helped me down. We entered the city and straight to Eve's.

Eve managed to sneak in a small lecture to me about safety, and questions about Desmond, to Ryne. Once again, we tried to pay her, but she wouldn't allow it.

The rest of the day was spent running errands. Our first stop was at Balmolf's who insisted that we let him work on our armor. Then we had some dinner at the Inn with Gemma, and rented two rooms for the night. Afterwards, Ryne followed me outside for some fresh air.

"I better head to the Dour to meet Merrik. I'll be back in a few minutes." I said.

"Alright. I need to take care of something anyways. I'll meet you at the inn." He replied. I nodded and we split off.

When I walked in, I saw Halnir and Thelen. They both smiled.

"Ashe, it's good to see you." Halnir smiled.

"My lady, how can we help you?" Thelen asked.

"It's nice to see you both well." I returned the smile. "I'm looking for Merrik."

"I'm afraid the General isn't here but he should return soon." Halnir replied.

"It's not a problem. I'll just come by in the morning. Thank you. I hope you guys have a good night." I smiled.

I headed back to the inn and saw a few more people than usual. There was live music and drinks in nearly everyone's hands. Ryne was sitting at a table, clapping to the beat. In front of him, Gemma was laughing and dancing to the music.

When I walked over, I took a seat next to Ryne and leaned in.

"What's the occasion?" I asked, raising my voice so he could hear me.

Ryne leaned in as well.

"It's Rithleen's birthday." He motioned towards the Innkeeper.

I leaned back in to respond, but Gemma pounced on my lap.

"Ashe! Come dance with us!" She laughed.

Her face was almost glowing. It was a huge change from a few days before when I met her on the streets.

"Alright." I smiled and took her hand.

It hadn't really occurred to me that dance might have changed in the last century. The thought came and went. All I wanted to do was have a good time. I kicked off my sandals and joined the other dancers.

We swayed our bodies and hips to the music. As the song became more upbeat, more people began to join us. Gemma giggled as I whirled her around. She tried to spin me but I was too tall. I tumbled down and we laughed hard enough to form tears in our eyes. Ryne watched from the table and chuckled.

After over an hour of nonstop dancing, Gemma and I returned to Ryne, giggling and panting.

"Lami!" Gemma yelled.

She ran to the door when another young girl walked in. They talked for a moment and then linked hands. Gemma waved goodbye at us and left with her friend.

I sat down and took a swig of mead. When I looked over, Ryne motioned for me to lean in.

"You never told me that you were a dancer." He smiled.

"Don't tease me." I gave him a pursed smile and nudge his shoulder playfully. He chuckled.

"I'm serious. You're really good."

I looked over and lost my words when I saw how close he was. His eyes began to melt me. My cheeks burned and he gave me another smile. He seemed to be doing that more often lately.

"Hey, I got something for you." Ryne pulled a cloth from his bag and handed it to me.

When I unraveled it, I gasped. It was a dagger made of dragon bone; not a common resource in present time. The hilt was made of ebony and had a flawless ruby embedded into the pommel.

"Ryne, this is beautiful...but I can't accept this." I frowned.

"I've had my eye on it since Balmolf made it. He was holding it for me but I want you to have it." He insisted.

"Are you sure?" I pursed my lips.

"Absolutely." He smiled.

The music stopped and the bards switched their instruments. The next song they played was ambient, slow, and romantic. I smiled and watched the woman's fingertips dance across the strings of a harp.

Ryne grabbed the dagger from my hand and sat it on the table. Then he stood in front of me with his hand extended.

"Come on." He smiled.

"Wh-what?" I blurted out.

Ryne grabbed my hand and guided me to the dance floor. He turned to me and pulled me in close. I felt a shiver down my spine when his hand rested on the small of my back.

At this point, I didn't have an escape plan. He lifted his brow expectedly. I gently rested my hand on his shoulder and he nodded in content. His fingers entwined with mine and we began to sway.

My eyes wandered around, avoiding his, which stayed locked on me. When I heard him chuckle, I looked up.

"What?" I mumbled.

"You can take down five men by yourself, unarmed; but you get flustered while dancing with me?" He teased.

"This is a little different than combat." I replied with a dry tone.

"You were dancing in front of everyone without a problem earlier. Why is it different with me?"

"I wasn't slow dancing with a man." I gave a small sarcastic smirk.

"I see. So, you're this way with _all_ men." He assumed.

My lip slightly trembled. This was something that I wasn't good at lying about. Ryne would probably catch on to the truth either way so...

"No…I'm not." I admitted.

When I looked up, Ryne's eyes softened. It was almost as if he had already suspected, but he wanted to hear it from my mouth. A smile crept on his lips.

There was no denying it at this point. In his arms, dancing slowly, being so close; it was exactly where I wanted to be...but it was where I knew I shouldn't be. My eyes began to gloss over and Ryne frowned.

"Ashe? What wrong?" He asked softly.

"Just dance with me." My voice cracked.

My hand slid to the back of his neck, twined in his hair. I pulled him close enough to rest my temple on his cheek. His warm breath on my collarbone gave me goosebumps. My eyes slid closed and I took in the moment while I could.

When the song ended, I backed up slightly and looked at him. He smiled softly but I could see the concern in his eyes. I returned the smile.

The door flew open and heavy footsteps made the noise of the crowd die down. At first, we ignored it. Then the footsteps drew closer and Ryne looked up. His brows immediately snapped together and his jaw tensed.

He pulled me behind him protectively and his hand rested on my waist. I had never seen him so on edge before. Whatever or whoever it was...it was personal.

I peeked over Ryne's shoulder and followed his gaze. A man I didn't recognize stood a few feet away from us. He had dark colored eyes and a sickening grin plastered on his face.

"Ryne, long time no see." He smirked, running his fingers through his dark, nappy hair.

"What the hell are you doing here Lucan?" Ryne hissed.

"That's no way to greet a friend. We're just here for some mead and company. But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to collect some gold that's far passed its due date." He replied. Lucan's eyes flickered to me and he stepped forward. "Who is this work of art?" His eyes travelled up and down my body.

"I don't owe you a damned thing." Ryne spat, ignoring his question.

"Actually, you do." Lucan grinned. "You know, if you don't have gold, we can work out another form of payment." He glanced at me and chuckled.

"Back off." Ryne warned and he pulled me closer to him. My grip on his bicep tightened and my other hand rested against his back, clutching his shirt.

"Why so overprotective? I just want an introduction." Lucan smirked.

"Don't worry, she doesn't need my protection." He replied.

"That's good because you couldn't protect the last one." Lucan's smirk grew.

Lucan's words lit my veins on fire. Ryne grabbed the hilt of his dagger but before he could unsheathe, I grabbed his hand. As eager as I was to kill him too, drawing blood in an inn full of people was not a good plan. I stepped towards Lucan until I was only a foot away. My eyes locked on to his.

"You need to leave." I warned.

Lucan stepped forward until he was inches away.

"Mmm, I like you. You have a certain fire in your eyes." He purred.

I stood my ground, glaring daggers at him. The door opened again and showed a welcomed face.

"It looks like our date's over Sweetheart, but don't worry. I'll be back for my _payment_." Lucan smirked. He eyed me up again and then looked to Ryne.

Merrik's expression hardened and his eyes followed Lucan out the door, then snapped to us.

I turned and frowned.

"What was that about?" I asked, but Ryne didn't have a chance to respond before Merrik walked over.

"What happened?" He asked. His forehead creased and nostrils flared.

"We just ran into each other and had a small dispute." Ryne glared. He was clearly not in the mood.

"Well I trust you're not planning any trouble." Merrik glared.

I was taken back by his actions. Obviously, they didn't get along, but Merrik's tone was accusing.

"Fuck off." Ryne spat. He grabbed his things and looked up at me. "I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning." He snuck in one last glare to Merrik and walked off.

"Merrik…" I gave him a disapproving look and he immediately backed down. "That was uncalled for. Ryne didn't do anything wrong."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made any assumptions." He frowned.

"Who the hell was that guy anyway?"

"Perhaps we should take a walk." He replied, looking around.

Everyone in the inn was staring at us, clearly shaken up. I nodded, grabbed my stuff, and followed Merrik outside.


	17. Chapter 17

_**I hope you enjoy! :3**_

 _ **-Sh4d3r**_

* * *

 **Recap:**

"Perhaps we should take a walk." He replied, looking around.

Everyone in the inn was staring at us, clearly shaken up. I nodded, grabbed my stuff, and followed Merrik outside.

 **Chapter Start:**

We walked along the castle, away from any eavesdroppers. When we were clear, I immediately pushed for information.

"So, who the hell was that guy?" I frowned.

"His name is Lucan. He and his men are traders. They work closely with the East Empire Trading Company to obtain special items and fulfill rare or uncommon requests." Merrik responded.

"So, they're glorified bandits." I scoffed.

"Exactly. Everywhere Lucan goes, bodies seem to follow. They're more like a gang. I've been keeping eyes on them for some time now and I have reason to believe that he's also involved in slave trading."

I stopped in my tracks. My eyes narrowed and I clenched my fists until they went white. Slavery was disgusting; it was a stain on our history and it needed to be purged.

"If you know what he's doing, why hasn't he been stopped?" I grit my teeth.

"Believe me, I've tried, but it's easier said than done. Lucan is the son of Denyiir, a member of the Emperor's council and an honored guest to the Blue Palace. Without any evidence, there's no way that we can keep Lucan locked up where he belongs. Witnesses have tried to come forward, but they disappear before they can speak."

"Is Denyiir aware of what is son is doing?"

"To be honest, I believe that Denyiir is the one running the operation. Lucan is merely a pawn, doing the dirty work."

"Could they also be behind some of the disappearances?" My eyes narrowed, eagerly awaiting his response.

 _Could Lucan have something to do with Ysara's disappearance?_

"It's possible that they are responsible for a few of them, but I doubt they are behind all of them. Lucan is very careful about keeping their operation under wraps. Kidnapping that many people would draw too much attention to them. It has crossed my mind though. That's why I've been looking into it."

"Either way, they need to be stopped. You said you need evidence to put him away. Have you searched Denyiir's room?"

"Without my father's approval, yes. I didn't find anything."

"Where does Lucan conduct his business?"

"As I mentioned before, Lucan works closely with the East Empire Trading Company. That seems to be where he and his men run their trade. Unfortunately, the slave trade is elsewhere. I've sent out spies to try to find their hideout, but none of them return. Lucan is well trained. He knows how to cover his tracks and when he slips up, Denyiir makes sure to clean up the mess."

 _Lucan..._ Something about him made my skin crawl. I could almost smell the blood on his hands.

"Wait a minute, how does Ryne know Lucan?" I lifted my brow.

"Ryne used to be his right-hand man. His affiliation with Lucan is where our bad history began."

 _Ryne worked for Lucan? No way. That can't be true._

"I guess that explains your accusations, but Ryne was telling the truth. He didn't do anything wrong."

Merrik frowned and nodded.

"I was mistaken. I'm sorry for my reaction. Lucan and his men have been a plague in Skyrim for some time now. I get unsettled when they enter the city. They've killed a lot of people, my friends among them."

"I'm sorry." I frowned and rested my hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

A smile tugged at his lips.

"It seems I have a lot of work to do." I said.

Merrik's smile quickly faded and he stopped in his tracks.

"Ashe, I appreciate your willingness to take on such a task, but Lucan is dange-..."

"And I appreciate your concern, but I wasn't asking for permission." I interrupted.

"And I doubt there's anything I can do to talk you out of it." He lifted his brow.

"You're catching on." I smiled.

"Well then, I'm going with you."

"No, you're not." My reply was stern. "You're too valuable and-..."

"So are you." He frowned.

I sighed.

"Merrik, you're the General. If this goes badly, you'd be putting more than yourself at risk. Once I get the evidence, you can help me present it to your father officially, and lock Denyiir away for the rest of his miserable life."

"What about Lucan?"

"I'm going to put him down."

He took a moment of silence to contemplate. His sigh was a sign of surrender.

"Well I don't know where their hideout is, but I have seen them head North. It might be a good place to start." Merrik frowned.

"Thank you. When I come back, I'll have the evidence. We can also discuss our next move on the Thalmor." I gave him a determined smile.

"I'll talk to you soon." He replied.

I nodded and turned to walk away, but he grabbed my hand.

"Ashe, please be careful." He said softly.

"I will." I smiled.

I could feel Merrik's eyes on me as I walked off.

Iron filled my mouth as I anxiously chewed my cheek. Ryne working in a slave trade? Maybe I didn't know him as well as I thought. Many unpleasant thoughts had crossed my mind by the time I had returned to the inn.

Nearly everyone had left. The only occupants that remained were the innkeeper, her husband, and a couple customers. Their eyes darted to me when I walked in, but I ignored them and continued up the creaky stairs.

Ryne's room had no light emitting from under the door. He said he was going to sleep, but knowing him, he was still stewing in anger. I knocked on the door, but got no response. I knocked again, this time leaning my ear to the door. Nothing.

My stomach became uneasy. I grabbed a kitchen knife from the table behind me and quietly picked the lock. When the door popped open, I stepped in without a sound, closing the door behind me.

"R-..." I tried to whisper for him, but an arm wrapped around my neck and a hand covered my mouth.

Reacting quickly, I grabbed the arm around my neck and pulled them hard, forcing them over my shoulder. Their body slammed hard into the ground. I kept their arm locked in place, but they pinched the nerve on the back of my knee, forcing me to kneel. Then, they grabbed me by the neck and slammed me into the ground, knocking the air out of me. My recovery was put to a halt when the cold metal of a blade rested on my neck.

"Don't move." They demanded.

I recognized that voice anywhere.

"Ryne?"

"Ashe?" He responded.

I heard him take a few steps and then a lantern lit the room up. Ryne's eyes widened and he immediately walked over, helping me to my feet.

"Gods, Ashe. I could have killed you. What were you thinking?" He said, examining me for any wounds he may have inflicted.

"I came in to check on you. I wanted to talk." I frowned, dusting myself off.

"About what?" Ryne frowned and sheathed his dagger.

"Lucan. Merrik told me about him and Denyiir. He also said that you used to work for him."

"Of course, he did." He snarled. "I saved his life and in return, he continues to look for ways to accuse me. I'm done with his bullshit." Ryne tried to storm passed me but I blocked his path and rested my hands on his chest.

"Ryne, please. I already talked to him and he apologized." I gave him a pleading look. "The only thing that he told me is that you used to work with Lucan. I was hoping you could fill me in on what the hell is going on."

Ryne sighed and I felt him relax. He walked over and sat on his bed. I leaned up against the wall and faced him, waiting for him explain.

"I worked for Lucan a long time ago. I was in charge of obtaining special items for our clients."

"Stealing." I confirmed and he nodded.

"Lucan put me on a special job; it was one of the most valuable hauls that we had ever attempted to rob. I was supposed to intercept an Imperial carriage transporting rare gems and artifacts to Cyrodiil; the most notable being the Crown of Barenziah." He continued. I held back a pout. _All of that work to get the damn crown for the Guild and it ended up in someone else's hands._ "The plan would have been fool-proof but Lucan got drunk and opened his stupid mouth. Someone beat us to it. They stole the crown before we even got there. Lucan didn't want to disappoint Denyiir, so he told him that it was my fault. Denyiir demanded that I paid a copious amount of gold and I refused. Lucan continued to deny fault so I left. It's been a few years and he's still trying to get his money." Ryne's jaw tensed in frustration.

"What about the slave trade?" I bit my lip.

"I've heard that Lucan runs one now, but I wouldn't know. He didn't start dealing in that until a couple years after I left."

"Do you think he had something to do with Ysara?"

"No. Lucan is sadistic and maniacal. If he had anything to do with Ysara, he would have hung it over my head."

"Do you know where he would keep the slaves?"

"No. We always conducted our business in Solitude." Ryne's expression became more and more suspicious as I asked questions.

"Merrik said that he's spotted them traveling North a few times."

"Yet another threat to the people that he ignores." Ryne scoffed. I was about to protest but his expression changed. "Wait a minute...No, no. You are _not_ going after Lucan." He stood up and stepped towards me.

"You're damn right I am. He's a murderer and he's selling people into slavery. Did you see the way people reacted to him? He needs to be stopped." I argued.

"Yeah, I did. They're terrified of him for a reason." Ryne insisted but I didn't back down. "I'm sorry, did you miss the part where I mentioned that he's a complete psychopath?"

"No, I heard you loud and clear. You can do what you'd like but I'm going to put an end to this." I turned to walk away but Ryne slammed his palm into the wall next to my hand. His eyes were locked on mine and only inches away.

"Ashe please, for once, stop being so stubborn and just trust me. Promise me that you'll trust me on this. Please..." Ryne's eyes softened.

The look he gave me made my heart ache.

"Goodnight Ryne."

Ryne kept his eyes on the wall as I left the room. I felt guilty. He probably thought that I didn't trust him, but that wasn't it. I wasn't capable of doing _nothing_. There was no way in hell.

I slipped out of my clothes, and into a black undershirt and shorts. Then I slid under the covers and tried to catch up on sleep.

* * *

The sound of glass breaking in the other room made me lunge out of bed. I grabbed my dagger from the nightstand and ran to the hall. Ryne's door was hanging off its hinges.

When I ran in, Ryne was kneeling on the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back. Three men stood around him. I recognized them from a few hours before. They were Lucan's thugs.

All eyes turned to me.

"Ashe!"

One of the men put a blade to Ryne.

"There she is." The man grinned.

I glared and tightened my grip on my dagger.

"No! Ashe, run!" Ryne yelled again but the man silenced him with a blow to the face.

"Drop the sweetheart, or we'll gut'em" He chuckled.

The light of the lantern flickered and reflected off another pair of cuffs. They were readied in the clutches of the other man. They weren't here to kill Ryne, they were here to capture both of us. My eyes locked on Ryne's. Blood dripped down the side of his face and his eyes were pleading.

The third man stepped forward again, weapon ready.

"Last chance Darling."

Ryne knew that I was fully capable of taking them out. That's why his eyes widened when I dropped my dagger to the floor. The man kicked it away from me and grabbed the back of my neck, pushing me to my knees. I frowned at Ryne as they cuffed me.

"NO! What are you do-..." Ryne was cut off when the man hit him on the back of the head with the hilt of his sword. He fell to the ground unconscious.

"Ryne!" I yelled.

A harsh blow to the back of my head put me out.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Sorry for the delay and the short chapter! I will have Chapter 19 posted soon. Thank you all for your support! I hope you're still enjoying the story! Let me know what you think! :)**_

 _ **-Sh4d3r**_

* * *

 **Recap:**

"NO! What are you do-..." Ryne was cut off when the man hit him on the back of the head with the hilt of his sword. He fell to the ground unconscious.

"Ryne!" I yelled.

A harsh blow to the back of my head put me out.

 **Chapter Start:**

As I came to, I groaned in discomfort. My head was pounding, my arms were numb, and the air was cold enough to burn my limbs. I tried to readjust, but my hands were locked in place. When my eyes slid open, I realized I was cuffed to a wall wearing my undershirt and shorts.

I observed the room around me. The walls were littered with more cuffs, cages, and bloodstains. The table in the corner was topped with torture tools and vials of poison. It wasn't a very hospitable atmosphere.

To my right, I saw Ryne. His hands were secured in the same manner but lucky for him, he was wearing more clothing. For some reason, he didn't bother looking up; he just glared at the ground. I frowned at the stream of dry blood on his face.

"Are you alright?" I whispered.

"You are unbelievable." Ryne scoffed and shook his head. I didn't bother responding. "What the hell were you thinking?"

I could hear the attitude in his voice and given our current situation, it was the last thing I needed.

"I know what I'm doing." I snapped, trying to keep my voice level and temper under control.

"No, you don't."

"This was the quickest way to find the other hideout."

Ryne's eyes darted to me.

"At what cost? You don't understand what Lucan is capable of. He's sick Ashe."

"I can't just do ' _nothing'_." I quoted, knitting my brows in frustration.

"You never can, can you?"

"What do you want? An apology?" I raised my voice.

"I want you to be safe!" He snapped. His words put a knot in my stomach.

Ryne's eyes softened and returned to the ground. I didn't have time to reply before Lucan walked into the room.

"Ryne," He chuckled and approached. "we finally caught up with you, and you even came with a prize." His eyes darted to me and he grinned. "You never did introduce us."

Ryne didn't respond and Lucan punched him in the stomach. Lucan gave him another opportunity to answer, but he didn't. He took another punch.

"Stop!" I tried to help but my chains held me back. "My name is Ashe." I interjected, successfully grabbing Lucan's attention.

My body tensed as he approached and stood over me. He reached up and I leaned back to avoid his touch, but the wall stopped me. I shivered when he rested his cold, dirty hand on the side of my neck and traced my jawline with his thumb.

"Ashe, where on Nirn did he find _you_?" His fingertips traveled from my jaw to my clavicle.

"You got me, just let her go. She has nothing to do with this." Ryne snarled.

"Let her go? Do you know how much my clients would pay for a dame like her? She's more valuable than you are." I groaned as Lucan grabbed my hair and pulled hard, forcing my head back. His lips danced across my neck and up to my jaw. "I'm very tempted to keep her for myself." He glanced at Ryne, trying to get under his skin.

Lucan's eyes locked on mine and his face was only a few inches away. When his eyes flickered to my lips, I looked away. Ryne struggled against his chains but to no avail.

"So beautiful." He whispered.

My stomach turned when Lucan forcibly grabbed my jaw and crashed his lips into mine. I tried to rip away from his hold but he tightened his grip. His tongue danced against my lips, trying to gain entry to deepen the kiss. I flailed in an attempt to escape.

"Stay away from her!" Ryne yelled.

Lucan responded by moving in closer, and crushing my body between him and the wall. With the given opportunity, I quickly brought up my knee, and hit him in the groin as hard as I could. The blow sent him down.

"Don't touch me you piece of shit!" I spat.

When he stood up, his eyes met mine and I froze. The look on his face was unsettling. It was vicious and almost...satisfied.

I yelped when he struck my face but he didn't stop there. He punched me in the stomach hard enough to make me cough and followed it with another blow to the face. Blood dripped from my nose and iron filled my mouth.

"NO! Stop!" Ryne yelled and his chains rattled against the walls.

Lucan's hands returned to my jaw and my eyes met his.

"I own you now sweetheart. So, save yourself the pain and obey."

When his face was in range, I headbutt him hard enough to draw blood from his nose.

"Fuck you." I seethed.

His grin sent unpleasant shivers down my spine. Once again, he approached. This time, his hand wrapped around my neck and forced me back. A small groan escaped my lips when my head connected to the rough stone; in the same spot that I had received a wallop the night before.

He then rested a dagger on my cheek and looked me in the eyes. My stomach felt uneasy when he drew closer. The satisfaction and the thirst for blood in his eyes was sickening.

"Mmmm this is going to be fun." He smirked.

Lucan reached up and my chains grew heavy when they detached from the wall. Then, he took a fistful of my hair and pulled me to him. My struggling halted when the blade moved to my neck. His grip tightened and I grit my teeth.

My eyes met Ryne's. Blood was dripping down his wrists where he had struggled against his cuffs. He didn't seem to notice because he continued to pull against the chains.

"How about we play a game?" Lucan grabbed the back of my neck and threw me to Ryne's feet. "If you kill Ryne, I'll let you go." My eyes widened when Lucan threw his dagger to the ground in front of me. "It's a generous offer. I was planning on dragging out his death for weeks, but you can show him mercy and make it quick." I grabbed the dagger and got to my feet. "Kill him and my men will take you back to Solitude. However, should you choose to deny my offer, well... for your sake, I wouldn't advise it." Lucan threatened.

Ryne stood in front of me, chained and helpless. His eyes examined the wounds on my face and then softened. I could tell that he was trying to determine my next move. It didn't take him long to catch on.

"Ashe…" He shook his head in disapproval. My grip on the dagger tightened and my jaw tensed.

My body quickly turned but Lucan caught my wrist before I could strike. He didn't even flinch. Instead, he ripped the dagger from my grasp and struck the side of my head with the hilt. I yelped and crumbled to the ground.

Ryne's voice echoed in my ears but I couldn't make out his words. The room was spinning and my ears were ringing. I moaned when Lucan yanked me to my feet by my hair. The sound of Ryne's chains clattering against the stone faded as he dragged me down the hall.

I managed to regain full consciousness in time to memorize our route through the hideout. We had passed multiple rooms and I had seen the familiar mugs of the men who brought us here. Lucan continued down the hall, up two flights of stairs, and then up a spiral staircase. When we reached the top, He guided me through the door and into a room. It seemed to be more embellished than the other portion of the fort.

This room alone had taken up nearly the entire top level of the tower. There was a large canopy bed with silk covers, a desk with a couple strongboxes, notes, and a safe underneath, and a wardrobe. My eyes were immediately drawn to the desk that had a leather-bound book. It looked like a ledger.

Lucan caught me off guard and pushed me to the ground. I tumbled, smacking my shoulder against the cold tiles. When I got to my knees, he struck me across the face and sent me back down. I scooted away from him and he laughed. He continued to step towards me with his dagger ready.

"Are you going to kill me?" I glared.

"Kill you? Of course not." He smirked.

My back brushed up against the frame of the bed. Lucan pulled me to my feet and tucked my hair behind my ear.

"I'm not going to kill you, I'm just going to break you." He said softly.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Hello everyone,**_

 _ **I just wanted to apologize for the late upload. I've been busy with family stuff. I think I'm all caught up so I'm hoping to post more regularly again. I also hope that you continue to enjoy the story! Let me know what you think! Thank you again for your patience and support! :3**_

* * *

 **Recap:**

My back brushed up against the frame of the bed. Lucan pulled me to my feet and tucked my hair behind my ear.

"I'm not going to kill you, I'm just going to break you." He said softly.

 **Chapter Start:**

I whipped my head away from him and he chuckled.

"You're quite the fighter. Most would have accepted their fate and begged for their lives, but not you. I can still see that fire in your eyes." He smirked.

"What would I beg for? Mercy? Forgiveness?" I glared.

"What about your freedom?"

"Freedom?" I scoffed. "Even if I had killed Ryne, you never had any intention of setting me free. So, no, I won't play your sick games; I won't beg you for anything. I'd rather keep my dignity and deny you the satisfaction."

"Sharp mind _and_ a sharp tongue. Ryne struck gold with you, didn't he?" He chuckled stepping forward. The tip of Lucan's blade gently danced across my chest. My eyes stayed lock on his. "You don't like games so why don't we get straight to the point? I'll make it very simple." He stepped even closer but I stood my ground. His nose brushed against mine and his warm breath hit my face as he whispered. "You have two options; You can get on the bed and give yourself to me freely, or I'll take you by force."

"I'll make it very simple for _you_. Touch me, and I'll kill you." I seethed.

"I was hoping you'd resist." He smirked.

My heart began to race as I internally panicked. He was stronger and I had no armor, no weapons, and no hands. Lucan's eyes dropped, eyeing down my body. I took the opportunity to run, only making it a few feet before he grabbed my hair and yanked me back.

My back fell into his chest and his grip tightened around my neck, locking me against him.

"The more you struggle, the more you bleed."

Despite his warning, I continued to fight his grip. He kept his word and sliced his blade across my chest. I groaned in pain but did not abide. He chuckled and cut me again. The second cut was on my abdomen, through my shirt. Both the fabric and my skin gave in to the blade like butter.

"Had enough Princess?" He chuckled and cut again.

"Fuck you." I hissed.

His grip released my neck and he pushed me onto the bed. I immediately slipped my arms under my feet, putting my cuffed hands forward. Before I could jump off of the bed, he grabbed my ankle and dragged me back to him. Then, he hovered over me.

My foot kicked him away but once again, he pulled me back to him. I clawed at his face, trying to free myself from his hold. Lucan growled in frustration and pinned my wrist above me. I cried out when his dagger pierced through my hand.

He pulled the blade from my flesh, sending a wave of pain through my body. Then, he crawled up on the bed and straddled my hips.

"Get off me, you piece of shit!" I hissed and flailed. The blood pouring from my hand made it hard to get a good grip on him.

He did not obey. Instead, he struck the dagger down again. This time, I caught it in my cuff chains and launched it across the room.

Lucan struck my face and stunned me. He then gripped my shirt and began to rip but I clutched the material in my fist and prevented him from going any further.

He went for another strike but I caught his arm and locked it against my chest. Then, I locked his foot in with mine to throw off his balance, and flipped him off of the bed. Lucan hooked the side of my neck and we both fell to the floor.

His body landed on top of me, knocking the air out of me. When I noticed that he was facing up I reacted quickly. I wrapped my chains tight around his neck and pulled him into my chest. He struggled and gasped for air but I didn't budge. After what seemed like ages, his face turned purple and he stopped breathing. I pushed him off of me and sat up. That was close.

My body was slightly trembling but there was no time to waste. Ryne needed me. I shuffled through Lucan's pocket and found the keys to our freedom. It took a few tries on multiple keys but the cuffs came undone.

When I stood up, I winced. The wounds that Lucan had inflicted were deep and excruciating. The wall held me up for a moment as I took another breath. After trying and failing to convince my body that 'it was only a scratch', I pushed away from the wall and towards Lucan's desk.

As predicted, the leather-bound book was a business ledger for the slaves. It included the date of purchase as well as the names of both the slave and their buyers. The papers scattered across the desk were communications between Denyiir and Lucan regarding their sales. That son of a bitch was done for.

I collected all of the evidence in a bag and grabbed Lucan's dagger. Then, I found some cloth and wrapped my hand. Healing it seemed logical but I quickly decided against it. I had to know that Ryne was safe first. Now it was time to retrace my steps back to him.

"Where's Lucan?"

The break of silence made me hold my breath. In the room to the right, a few men shuffled around a table

"He's upstairs with the woman."

"Probably having some fun." They chuckled.

I grit my teeth, resisting the urge to shout them to pieces. Ryne was my first priority. I continued down the halls.

The snap of a whip echoed down the corridor and groans of pain followed.

"Lucan would always say that you were his favorite."

"Yeah. Look where that got me." Ryne seethed.

"You know I have to admit, I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. Always wanted to mess up that pretty face of yours."

"Can you take my eyes next? Then I won't have to look at _your_ face." Ryne groaned when he took a strike to the face.

"Gladly." The man replied.

There were two of them. One held a knife and the other had a whip, dripping with blood. Ryne had been repositioned to face the wooden post that he was tied against. His back was bleeding and covered in lacerations.

I looked at the blood-soaked cloth wrapped around my palm and winced. The pain was very present but there was no way I could use my hand. This would have to be a one-handed fight. The man approached Ryne with his dagger.

My steps were silent when I lunged towards the attackers. The hilt of Lucan's dagger struck the man on the back of his head, knocking him down. When the other man turned, I slashed the blade across his throat. The other thug began to recover and I drove the dagger into his back. My hand covered his mouth, muffling his screams as I twisted the blade and severed his spinal cord.

"Ashe." Ryne showed both concern and relief.

"Are you alright?" I examined his wounds as I cut him free.

Ryne pulled me into his chest and hugged me tightly. For some reason, I felt short for breath. His arms tightened around me, slightly trembling. My stomach fluttered.

"Ryne?" I murmured.

He backed away and frowned as he onced me over.

"What the hell did he do to you?"

His concern wasn't unwarranted. Ryne knew damn well what Lucan had intended to do and what he was capable of doing. I was covered in blood, gashes, bruises, and my shirt was ripped in an unpleasant and alarming way. In addition to that, I had a fresh stab wound in my hand. He seemed to notice and gently grabbed my hand. I winced when he pushed the cloth aside.

"I'm fine. He just roughed me up." I tried to give him a reassuring smile but his frown quickly took a dark turn.

"Where is he? I'll fucking kill him!" Ryne raised his voice.

"Shhh. Ryne, stay calm." I whispered. We were not out of the woods yet. "Lucan is dead."

His attention whipped back to me.

"What? Did you…?"

"Yes. I have the evidence. We should look for survivors and then kill these assholes." My brows knitted together. I was going to enjoy every moment of this.

"But how did you...?"

"Focus. We need to finish this." I replied. He opened his mouth but then sealed his lips and nodded.

Ryne kneeled and searched the dead thugs for another weapon. I bit my lip when I reexamined the gashes on his back. There quite a few and they were deep. My hand glowed and rested on his back. He immediately stood up and grabbed it.

"Stop. You need to heal yourself. I'll be fine." His eyes softened.

"But you're..."

"I'm fine. I can't do this alone and you can't fight all of them off with one hand."

My eyes dropped to my blood-soaked hand. Light began the circle it and the wound closed. I felt immediate relief.

"Alright, let's go." He nodded.

Ryne turned and we both froze. A Dunmer woman stood at the doorway in shock. Her tan dress was stained and tattered. Based on her lack of body weight and the greenish bruises on her face, she had been a victim to Lucan's methods for quite some time.

Her eyes scanned the bodies and then averted back to us. I motioned for her to stay quiet and approached her. She backed away slightly.

"We're not going to hurt you." I whispered.

At first, she hesitated, but then she cautiously walked into the room.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Shara." She whispered.

"Shara, my name is Ashe. This is my friend Ryne."

Ryne gave a small nod to greet her.

"You shouldn't be here. They'll kill you. You should leave." She whispered.

"We're here to take you and any others back home." I replied. Shara didn't seem convinced.

"Have you lost your mind? There are dozens of them and only two of you. If you want to live, you need to go before they find you; before Lucan finds you." She frowned.

"Lucan is dead. I killed him." I replied and her eyes widened. "His men are next but I need your help finding the others and getting them to safety. Will you help us?"

She took a moment to contemplate and then nodded.

"This way." She whispered.

Ryne and I shared a glance and followed close behind.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Hello all!  
Once again, I'm sorry for the delay. I've had some health issues and some family matters to tend to. As I've said before, I'm hoping to post regularly soon! I PROMISE that I will be posting another chapter tomorrow night. I hope you all continue to enjoy the story and please let me know what you think! Thank you for your support! :)  
**_ _ **\- Sh4d3r**_

* * *

 **Recap:**

"Lucan is dead. I killed him." I replied and her eyes widened. "His men are next but I need your help finding the others and getting them to safety. Will you help us?"

She took a moment to contemplate and then nodded.

"This way." She whispered.

Ryne and I shared a glance and followed close behind.

 **Chapter Start:**

"That building there." Shara pointed.

The courtyard between us and our destination was littered with over a half a dozen men. All of them were armed and within the outer walls of the fortress. To my surprise, the fort was quite large and impressive. But that bothered me. If it was so large and in the open, why was it impossible for Merrik to find?

"What is it?" Ryne asked, immediately taking note of my uneasiness.

The surrounding area wasn't familiar to me. The more concerning factor was the sound of crashing waves, the sand beneath our feet, and the overwhelming smell of sea water.

"We're on an island. That explains why no one could ever pick up their tracks." I concluded. Ryne knitted his brows and looked to Shara.

"How far are we from the mainland?"

"I'm not sure, but they always take a small cargo ship." She responded.

"Do you know how to get back?" He pressed.

"No, only that they sail Southeast."

"Well that's a start." I sighed, attempting to be optimistic. He didn't follow suit.

"A start? For all we know, we could be in a different province."

I could hear the low growl of frustration in his tone.

"But we don't know that and shouldn't jump to any conclusions." I gave him a stern look and he nodded, immediately calming his nerves. "We will work with what we do know for now."

Our discussion ceased when two thugs walked by. We crouched against the wall and waited for them to clear. My eyes followed them across the courtyard and stopped on a collection of barrels in the distance. They were carefully placed in a wooden and fur lined hut, away from fire. _Black powder. That may come in handy._

I shivered and locked my jaw to keep my teeth from clattering. With the cold chill in the air, it certainly felt like we were still in Skyrim. Shara motioned for us to follow and we quietly snuck away.

We returned indoors, taking a different route. This part of the fort was dark and quiet. The walls were lined with wooden crates, old barrels, and bookshelves with ruined books. It looked like the area had been neglected for some time.

Shara began to search around. Shortly after, she approached with some long-sleeved fur armor and a pair of boots. The smell emanating off of it was musky and unpleasant, but it didn't stop me from eagerly accepting the gift of warmth.

"It isn't much, but it should help."

"This is perfect. Thank you." I smiled.

Ryne and Shara waited in the hallway while I changed. The clothes were a little loose on me, but it was better than freezing to death.

"The docks are on the East side of the island." She said.

Shara's glowing hands retreated from Ryne's back and he nodded. The gashes the thugs had inflicted, were gone. She handed him a shirt and he slipped it on.

"Thank you." He sighed in relief.

I walked over and joined them.

"How many of you are there?"

"Five, including me. The others have already been sold." Shara responded, lowering her head.

"How long have you been here?"

My question seemed to dampen her spirit even more.

"I'm not sure about the exact number of days, but my guess would be nearly a year."

"Gods…" I muttered in sympathy. "Don't worry, we're going to get you out of here."

"Please don't take my doubt as disrespect, but you're not the first to try. After this long, some of us welcome death with open arms. If not for our cowardice, we may have already ended our own suffering."

"I'm sorry." I frowned.

If these men were anything like Lucan, I couldn't even imagine...I shook the thought from my head. He paid with his life and his men would suffer the same fate.

"This fort will burn to the ground by nightfall, Lucan's men with it." My eyes gleamed with determination.

"Very well. We'll be sure to board the ship before the flames are set." Shara replied.

"If they haven't found the bodies in the dungeon yet, they will soon. We need to keep moving." Ryne said.

"You and Ryne should go to the others. Get them to safety." I said. Shara nodded.

"What? What about you?" Ryne frowned.

"I'm going back to Lucan's room. He probably had a map of the area. We'll need it. I'll pick off a few men while I'm at it; weaken their forces."

"Fine. I'll go with you." He insisted.

"No, you need get the them to safety." I motioned to Shara.

"No way."

"Ryne, we need…"

"I'm going with you." He raised his voice.

His jaw tensed and he knitted his brows. It was clear that he wasn't going to back down.

"Fine. Let's go." I sighed.

"I will get the others. We will meet you here." Shara said.

"That could be dangerous. If they have any indication that you're helping us, they will kill you." I objected.

"My options are either death or captivity. You've had a taste of what I've endured for the last year." She looked over at the clothing I had changed out of; The clothing that was nearly ripped from my body and soaked in my blood. "What would you choose?"

I could feel Ryne's eyes on me. He seemed more than curious to learn of my encounter with Lucan.

"We'll see you soon." I replied.

Shara nodded and disappeared out the door. Ryne watched as I brushed passed him, ignoring his gaze. He followed me out.

* * *

"He's gone." A man exclaimed.

"How in the hell did he get free?" Another man growled in frustration.

"These two are dead." The third man confirmed.

"The woman...You two check on Lucan. I'll let the others know. Find him!" He yelled and walked out of the room.

"We should follow them to Lucan. If we can take them out before they report back, it might buy us some time." I whispered.

Ryne nodded in agreement and we carefully stalked the two thugs up to Lucan's room. When we arrived, they ran straight to Lucan's side.

"Shit! He's dead."

"No sign of the woman either."

"Denyiir will have our heads."

"Not if we bring Ryne to him alive. We have to find him. Let's go."

The men turned around and stopped in their tracks. Ryne and I stood across the room, blocking their escape. I recognized these two. They were two of the three men that were responsible for kidnapping us.

"You son of a bitch! We're going to tear you to shreds for this!" The man gritted his teeth and snarled at Ryne.

"He didn't kill him, I did." I gave an ice-cold stare.

"Nice try Sweetheart. Why don't you shut your pretty little mouth? We'll deal with you after we've beaten the will to live out of your boyfriend."

"Try it. Maybe you'll put up a harder fight than your friends did." I seethed.

He studied me carefully and I stood my ground. Ryne stepped towards me, standing close by my side.

"For your sake, I hope you're lying." The man threatened. I readied Lucan's dagger, tightening my hand on the hilt. They looked at the dagger and immediately recognized it. "You bitch!"

"Are you ready to join him?" I returned the threat.

"You have no idea what he'll do to you. You're going to wish that you were dead." The words left his mouth like venom.

They cautiously paced towards us. The man on the right approached Ryne and the man to the left lunged towards me. He slashed his sword and I stopped his strike. I held my hand flat against the blade of Lucan's dagger, trying to push him away. When I looked to my right, Ryne was struck in the head with a sword hilt. His body went limp.

"Ryne!"

While I was distracted, my attacker overpowered the tie and I barely side-stepped in time to avoid his sword. My movement caused him to stumble forward and I slashed the back of his leg. He cried out and kneeled, trying to catch himself.

I turned to run to Ryne, but instead, was immediately met with a harsh blow to the face. A yelp escaped my lips as I fell to my side. The force left me stunned. When I looked up, Ryne's attacker was hovering over me. He kicked the dagger across the room.

He smirked in satisfaction and kicked me in the stomach. I coughed, gasping for the air that he had knocked out of me. Before he could attempt again, Ryne wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling him back.

My attacker groaned, grabbing my attention. His leg trembled, but he managed to get to his feet and ready his blade. I quickly rolled forward and retrieved the dagger again. He limped forward, waiting for me to make a move.

I got to my feet and paced towards him. He swung his sword again and I dodged. I grabbed his arm, gaining control over his movement, and then disarmed him. He punched me in the lower abdomen and I stumbled back. Once again, I stepped forward to attack.

The man caught my arm when I tried to slash him. He tried to punch my abdomen again, but I blocked it. I kicked him back and he rolled away, groaning in pain. Ryne stepped forward and hovered over him. When I looked over, the other man was dead.

My eyes returned to Ryne and he stared intently at the man on the floor. This seemed personal so I didn't interrupt. I made my way over to the desk.

"Go ahead. Kill me. It doesn't matter. Denyiir will find out about Lucan and when he does, he'll hunt down your little bitch and gut her. You know damn well that she's dead. There's nothing you can do about it." The man chuckled. Ryne glared and struck the last blow.


	21. Chapter 21

**Recap:**

"Go ahead. Kill me. It doesn't matter. Denyiir will find out about Lucan and when he does, he'll hunt down your little bitch and gut her. You know damn well that she's dead. There's nothing you can do about it." The man chuckled. Ryne glared and struck the last blow.

 **Chapter Start:**

That lowlife's words didn't faze me. After all, Denyiir was my main target. The corrupt politician behind this entire operation. Paying thugs to kidnap innocents and subject them to a life of mental and physical torture for profit. Lucan was merely a product of the real monster.

I continued searching the desk for anything that could help us. Fortunately, I found a map of the island and the surrounding area. To my relief, we were still in Skyrim. I turned around to inform Ryne and he was standing over Lucan's body. He looked on the bed and frowned. I followed his gaze to the puddle of blood where my hand was staked down.

"I found a map." I muttered.

Ryne didn't turn. He continued to stare at the bed. His fists turned white as he clenched them tightly.

"Did he...?" His voice trailed off when he internally questioned whether or not he really wanted to know what happened.

I bit my lip anxiously. The atmosphere suddenly felt uncomfortable. Lucan had nearly succeeded in overpowering me. I could almost still feel his cold, foul hands violating my skin. Recalling what happened with Ryne standing there made me feel dirty.

"No. He tried, but it didn't end well for him." I pointed out. I was trying to be reassuring but he didn't respond.

Ryne quietly simmered in his thoughts while I looted the weapons from the bodies of the men.

"Come on, we need to meet with the others." I said, breaking the silence.

He took the hint and didn't say another word about it. I appreciated his concern, but we didn't have time to linger.

The door to the hallway swung open and three men stood in shock.

"It's them!"

One of the men yelled. Two of them drew swords and the third man backed up, nocking an arrow. Ryne and I charged forward. I parried the man's sword away and sliced his chest. The third man released an arrow and I deflected it. Ryne drove his dagger into the neck of the other man. He turned to face me and, in the distance, I saw the last man nock an arrow.

"Get down!" I yelled and Ryne immediately obeyed.

The arrow shattered against my sword. I lifted Lucan's dagger by the tip and hurled it towards the archer. It connected to his head and his body rolled down the stairs.

"More will come. We need to get back to Shara." I collected the bow and remaining arrows from the man's body.

With stealth and caution, we rushed down the stairs and outside.

"This is your last warning! Open the door!"

Ryne and I peeked around the corner to see a group of men surrounding our rendezvous. The men received no response from the inhabitants. They tried to open the door, but it didn't budge.

"Take it down."

A man stood and watched the others step forward. Based on his proud stance and lack of input, I labeled him as Lucan's second in command. It didn't surprise me that I recognized him. He was the last of the men who had attacked us at the Inn.

Two men slowly dragged a barrel of black powder to the door.

"Shit!" I gasped and immediately nocked two arrows.

The arrows ripped through the air and made contact. Both the men and the barrel fell. The leader turned and snarled.

"Kill them!"

An arrow landed at my feet and I turned. On the outer walls of the fort, two archers aimed at us. We jumped out of the way and I managed to shoot one of them down. To our left, three more men ran towards us.

One of the men swiped down his sword towards me but I side-stepped and cut his arm clean off. He wailed in pain, squirming in his blood. His cries stopped when I drove my blade through his neck.

Ryne took another man down, then tied swords with another. I saw the archer lock on to Ryne's back but I immediately jumped in its path and cut the arrow out of the sky. I drove my sword into the ground and swiftly readied my bow. Before the man could take cover, my arrow ripped through his back. The force sent him off of the wall.

In the distance, I saw another thug rolling the barrel towards the door. Behind him, the leader carried a vase of oil. Ryne tied swords with the man again, struggling to overpower him. I made the decision to let him handle it and rushed towards Shara's attackers.

When the barrel leaned against the door. The thug grabbed a torch from a sconce and ran back. He nearly made it but my arrow struck him down. I tried to grab for another arrow but the quiver was empty.

The leader threw the vase against the door and oil soaked through the wood. He saw me coming and unsheathed his blade. I attacked but he parried my sword and our blades clashed again. He pulled a dagger from his belt and sliced towards my abdomen. I jumped back but the blade still connected. Luckily, the injury wasn't lethal, but it was deep and it hurt like hell.

We parried again and I side-stepped. I had planned to strike but he side-stepped as well, preventing an attack. He growled in frustration and charged towards me again. Our blades met but I used the angle in my favor and forced his sword down. I punched him hard enough to break the skin on my knuckles. He stumbled back with a broken jaw.

His eyes widened when I lifted my sword and removed his head from his body. I panted and used my sword to hold my weight. Ryne caught my eye in the distance. The bodies of two more men laid with the others. It seemed that he had also eliminated some of the reinforcements.

"Are you alright?" He yelled across the courtyard, walking towards me.

I nodded and wiped the sweat from my brow.

"I'm fine. You?" I pulled my blade from the ground.

"Yeah, I'm…" He suddenly gasped and his expression changed. "ASHE!" He ran towards me in a panic.

Time seemed to slow as I turned. About fifteen feet away, the wounded thug laid next to the barrel of black powder, holding the arrow I planted in his chest that rendered his end, inevitable. He had busted through the wood of the barrel, releasing enough powder to light it. A grin crept on his lips as the torch fell from his other hand and into the pile.

"NO!" Ryne yelled.

My stomach dropped. I turned to run but only made it a few feet before the blast sent me flying forward. When my body reconnected with the ground, the air was knocked out of me. My ears were ringing but I could still hear blood curdling screams from the building.

"Shara…" I murmured.

Ryne turned me over and carried me away from the flames.

"Ashe!" He was relieved to see me conscious.

I pulled his hands from my face and pointed.

"Go!" I gasped.

He turned to see Shara carrying another woman outside. Ryne nodded and ran towards them.

Sharp stinging pain snapped me out of my haze. I followed the source and saw the burns scattered across my body. A yelp escaped my lips as I stood to my feet, holding myself against the wall.

Ryne helped Shara and the older woman out and then ran back in. A moment later, he carried a young woman out, bridal style, with a young man following behind him.

Ryne laid her down and immediately began chest compressions.

"Give her air!" He yelled.

"There's one more! The building is going to collapse, we must hurry!" Shara exclaimed.

"Shara!" He insisted.

She obeyed and gave the woman mouth to mouth. I looked towards the building and it was completely engulfed in flames.

"What about the man!?" The boy panicked.

Ryne and Shara locked eyes but continued their attempt to resuscitate the girl. I pushed myself off of the wall and threw Lucan's notes and ledger at Ryne's feet.

"Ashe! Stop!" Ryne yelled.

His voice faded as I jumped into the burning building.

"Hello!?" I yelled, but received no response.

The smoke burned my eyes and the tears rolled down my cheeks. I used the fur from my shirt to prevent smoke inhalation but it didn't help. The scorching air burned its way into my throat. Nevertheless, I pushed forward.

Wooden beams crashed into the floor. The structure was giving in. My breath began to shorten and I could hardly see anything through the dark smoke and tears. Then, I heard a cough.

"Hello?! Where are you?!" I yelled.

The man coughed again, this time it was louder. I followed the sounds and saw a skinny, pale-skinned man huddled up in a stone corner of the room. Without hesitation, I ran over to him.

"Come on!" I yelled, throwing him over my shoulder.

The man passed out but I continued to drag him towards the exit. I was surprised that he was light-weighted. We had nearly made it to the door, but the wood collapsed in front of us, blocking our path.

My first idea was to kick it out of the way, but when I did, more of the structure had collapsed. Once again, I tried to clear the wood, but it did nothing. My heart began to race. What else could I do? In a few short minutes, we would both be dead from asphyxiation.

The man groaned as I readjusted my grip on him. It was against every standard I had set, but Thu'um was my last resort. If I didn't do it, we were going to die. I backed away from the exit, readying myself.

"Fu-..." When I tried to speak, nothing came out. My voice was gone completely. The panic started to set in. "F-..." Nothing. I coughed to clear my throat but it only made it worse.

The burning air had scorched my throat completely. I couldn't speak. I couldn't escape. I couldn't do anything. This was it.

I quickly began to bash my fists and my feet into the wood, burning and cutting my hands, but to no avail. My strength began to fade and my breath became shorter and more painful by the second. I didn't have much time left. The flames continued to eat away at the structure and I fell to my knees. A last thought or cherished memory may have been in order, but my mind was slowing. Everything began to go dark as my consciousness slipped away.

Then, a rush of fresh, cold air made me gasp. Ryne dropped a warhammer and both he and Shara carried us out of the building. They laid me in the cold sand and I coughed, trying to clear the toxins from my system. The young boy ran over with some cold water and Ryne gently brushed it against my face. I moaned softly, grateful for the change in temperature.

I debated opening my eyes but keeping them closed soothed the burning. Multiple voices echoed in my ears but I focused on the one that comforted me most.

"Stay with me." Ryne said softly.

Exhaustion kicked in and my body began to shut down.


	22. Chapter 22

_**I hope you guys enjoy! Let me know what you think!**_

 _ **Also, this may sound strange, but if you're interested in a Wounds of Time wallpaper with all of the characters and/or one of Ryne/Ashe, let me know! I have the Ryne/Ashe one ready (it's a larger version of the story icon) but if I have requests for it, I will do one for the other characters as well. Just PM me! ;)**_

 _ **-Sh4d3r**_

* * *

 **Recap:**

I debated opening my eyes but keeping them closed soothed the burning. Multiple voices echoed in my ears but I focused on the one that comforted me most.

"Stay with me." Ryne said softly.

Exhaustion kicked in and my body began to shut down.

 **Chapter Start:**

I heard soft mutters a few feet away and I shifted. My entire body was sore, but I didn't wake in excruciating pain as expected. My eyes slid open to scan my wounds. They were nothing more than a few minor scratches and bruises.

Waves smashed against the creaky ship. We weren't on the island anymore. My legs slid to the side of the makeshift bed and I sat up. On the other side of the cabin, Ryne and Shara turned to greet me. When he walked over, I saw the young woman lying under a lantern, still unconscious.

"Welcome back." Ryne smiled.

"What the hell happened?" I groaned, rubbing my eyes.

"It's over. We're a few hours out from Solitude."

"What about the island? And the rest of Lucan's men?" I frowned.

"Before we sailed, I lit the black powder. That island is nothing more than stone and ash now." Shara replied.

I gave her a light nod of gratitude for finishing what I couldn't.

"Did you get the ledger?" I asked, looking to Ryne.

He looked over at a wooden crate next to me. The ledger and the notes were neatly piled next to Lucan's dagger. I couldn't help but smile. We were victorious...but not unscathed.

"Is she going to make it?" I motioned towards the girl.

"She'll make it." Ryne replied.

"And the man?" I knitted my brows in concern. The man I pulled from the fire seemed to be in bad condition beforehand. His chances of survival seemed slim.

"Alive, thanks to you."

The man stepped out from the corner of the cabin. He was tall with short brown hair. Based on the scars scattered across his body, I'd say that he had been on that island for some time. They didn't seem to feed him either. His bones were distinguishable through his pale skin.

"Ashe, this is Langley," Ryne motioned and Langley stepped forward. He reached his hand out and I shook it carefully, treating it as if it was thin glass. We exchanged a smile. "Balmolf's son." Ryne finished.

My eyes widened and I looked up to Ryne for confirmation. He nodded and smiled.

"But I thought you were…" I gasped in disbelief.

"Dead? There were a few times that I thought so too." Langley replied.

"Why were you there? What happened to you?"

"I used to be in a group of bandits. The leader of our group, Hrolar, made a few dealings with Lucan. Things were going well until one of our deals went bad. Hrolar was my best friend so I took the fall for him, but I didn't expect Lucan to be so vicious. He threatened to end their partnership unless we repaid him with a life. My own men betrayed me and gave me over to Lucan. I've been suffering their consequences ever since." Langley gritted his teeth.

"I'm sorry." I frowned.

It was hard to consider how it would feel to be betrayed by someone that you were so close with. I had been burned before, but never by Serana; never by someone so close to me.

"When we get back, I plan on settling the score." He seethed.

"Hrolar...did he wear your amulet?" I asked.

"Yes, how did you know that?"

"Your father paid me to get it back. All of the men at Fort Hraggstad are dead, including Hrolar." I replied.

"Well then you've done more for me than you know. Thank you." He tried to smile but I could see the pain.

I frowned and then looked over to Ryne, studying his amber eyes. Shara caught my attention when she walked towards the stairs.

"I'm going to check on the others." She said.

"Shara…" I stopped her in her tracks. "Thank you for healing me."

She smiled and gave a light nod.

"I'll help." Langley smiled and followed her up to the deck.

"I can't believe he's alive."

"He is, thanks to you." Ryne replied.

My thoughts drifted back to the fire. It wasn't my first near death experience, but it was my first in a long time. It was a close enough call for me to foolishly attempt using my Thu'um. What would have happened had I been successful?

"No… Thanks to _you_. You saved both of us. For a moment there, I thought we were done for." My eyes dropped.

Whoever brought me here knew who I was and did not have good intentions. In addition to that, there was no way to know if, or how my presence was affecting the current of time. Revealing my identity was a risk. One that I shouldn't have considered.

 _Besides...how would Ryne have reacted if he found out who I was?_ It seemed so childish, but it was important to me.

I didn't belong here and everyone that I had known was either dead or out of my reach. Somehow, with Ryne at my side, it gave me the strength to keep moving forward. We had been through a lot together in such a short amount of time. I couldn't imagine where I would have ended up without him. I'd probably be six feet under.

"Thank you." I said softly.

"You're welcome." He replied. "Just promise me you won't jump into burning buildings anymore."

"I'll try." I smirked and we both chuckled.

* * *

We opened the gates and it was as if we had never left. The people of Solitude walked the streets, shopping, laughing, trading. It was nice to be back in a setting of normality.

"We should go to the Dour first." I said and Ryne nodded.

I knew he wasn't thrilled about it, but Merrik could help Shara and the others settle back in.

When we walked up the stone path, I heard a hammer strike an anvil. My stomach fluttered with excitement as we approached the forge.

"Balmolf…" I said. He turned around and smiled.

"Ashe! Ryne! Rithleen told me about those men. Are you two alright?" He gasped.

"We're fine. All three of us." I smiled when he gave me a puzzled look.

Ryne and I stepped aside and Langley walked forward with glossed eyes. Balmolf's hammer slipped from his hand and hit the ground with a _thud_. He paced forward and wrapped his arms tightly around his son.

"Divines...I thought you were dead…" Balmolf choked.

Langley didn't respond. He just sniffled, burying his head into his father's shoulder. I looked over at Ryne with tears welling up in my eyes. Ryne gave me a soft smile. Moments like this made every cut, bruise, and burn, worth it.

Balmolf backed out of the hug and placed his hand on the back of Langley's neck. He smiled as he studied his son's face. It had been too long since he'd seen it.

They both turned to us and Balmolf pulled Ryne and I into a group hug. I squeaked when he squeezed us tightly. He took hugs seriously. It was a miracle that he didn't snap Langley in half. He pulled away and rested his hand on my shoulder.

"Words can't express how grateful I am." He beamed.

"Ashe!"

Another voice exclaimed. I turned and saw Merrik walking out from the Castle Dour. I walked towards him with a smile.

'Merrik, I…"

My heart began to race when he pulled me into his chest. His warm arms wrapped around me and I stood in shock. After a moment, I returned the gesture. He backed away and frowned.

"I heard what happened at the Inn. We've been looking all over for you. Are you alright? What happened?" He sputtered.

"I…"

I glanced over at Ryne. His head was lowered and he looked disheartened.

"Is something wrong?" Merrik asked.

I pursed my lips and shook my head.

"No. I'm fine. Everything is fine." I confirmed.

"Where have you been?"

I responded by handing him the evidence gathered from Lucan's office. He immediately scanned through the loose letters and pages.

"Lucan's men attacked us at the Inn and took us to their hideout. It's over. They're all dead and the hideout was burned to the ground."

"I can't believe it. You actually did it." He gasped. He closed the ledger and grinned.

"We should tell your father as soon as possible. It's important that we apprehend Denyiir before word gets back to him." I pressed.

"You're right." He nodded. "Hold on."

Merrik stepped away and returned with Halnir and Thelen. They smiled when they saw me.

"My Lady." Halnir gave a flirty smirk and nodded.

"Let's go." Merrik said in a stern tone.

Ryne and Shara joined us and we all walked to the palace. Vahlin was speaking with a man dressed in fine robes of Imperial colors. Based on his attire, he seemed to be a councilman. One that had a striking resemblance to Lucan.

"Ashe. It's good to see you." Vahlin stated.

Denyiir glared at Ryne. Then he pressed his lips and backed away, taking his place at Vahlin's side. Ryne gladly returned the glare, expressing his mutual animosity.

"Your Majesty." I bowed.

Ryne and Shara bowed, but did not step forward with us. They stood a few feet behind while Merrik and I approached Vahlin, side by side.

"Merrik tells me that you're making quick work of the Thalmor. I assume that's what you're here to discuss?"

"Actually, I'm here on a more personal matter." I replied.

"Please give us some privacy." He replied and looked to his advisors.

"That won't be necessary." I responded quickly; intent on keeping Denyiir in my sights.

"Very well. What can I do for you?"

"I want to report a crime."

"A crime?" He confirmed and I nodded.

"Two nights ago, at the local Inn, I was approached by a man named Lucan. We had a heated, verbal encounter but he left. Later that evening, his men kidnapped me and my friend. They took us to an island north of here where they tortured us. Lucan had intended to capture and sell me into slavery. He-..."

Denyiir shot out of his chair and grit his teeth.

"Your Majesty, this is nonsense!" He interjected. His eyes locked on mine and glared daggers. "I am a member of the Emperor's Council. Yo-..."

"I know exactly who you are." I talked over him, cutting him off.

He paused for a moment, slightly taken back by my response. His face turned red as rage consumed him.

"You stand before the High King of Skyrim spreading falsehoods about _my_ son!?" He hissed. "She claims that she was tortured and returns unscathed!"

"When we escaped, we found a woman that had been a slave for nearly a year. She healed our wounds and helped us off of the island." I argued.

"My King, this woman is clearly delusional." Denyiir chuckled. "Lucan isn't even in Skyrim. He is away on business with the East Empire Trading Company. Yet, she accuses him of-..."

"I'm not here to accuse Lucan, I'm here to accuse _you_. Lucan is dead. I killed him myself."

All eyes locked on me but I didn't acknowledge them. I continued to stare Denyiir down.

"How naive do you think I am? A woman bested my son?" He laughed again.

I didn't bother responding with words. Instead, I pulled Lucan's dagger from my belt and threw it at Denyiir's feet. The color drained from his face as he stared at the blood-stained blade. His eyes glossed over.

"You-...YOU WHORE!" He cried out and stepped towards me. Merrik rested his hand on his blade, causing Denyiir to stop in his tracks. "Arrest this woman! She murdered my son!" He wailed, but Merrik did no such thing. "You will be publicly executed for your crimes!"

"Denyiir!" Vahlin yelled.

"Your son tortured me and tried to rape me. It was self-defense." I spat.

Merrik's gaze immediately flickered to me. In the corner of my eye, I saw him frown.

"These are bold claims Ashe. I'm sorry for what you went through and I understand that you were only defending yourself...but Denyiir is a respected member of the Emperor's Council. The only evidence I have is Lucan's blade in your hands with your confession to his murder." Vahlin frowned.

"I didn't come here empty handed." I replied.

Merrik stepped forward to hand his father the notes and ledger. Denyiir began to tremble at the sight of the leather-bound book. While Vahlin scanned through the evidence, Denyiir made a move.

He quickly reached down to pick up Lucan's dagger and lunged towards me. Merrik began to draw his blade but it wasn't necessary. I stepped to the side, grabbed Denyiir's wrist, and quickly disarmed him. He skid across the tile when I struck him hard in the diaphragm.

Merrik rested his blade against Denyiir's neck while Halnir and Thelen quickly seized him. I stepped aside while they presented him to Vahlin. Ryne walked over and stood next to me with his hand resting on the hilt of his dagger.

"Take him away!" Vahlin demanded and the men obeyed.

"I'll kill you, you bitch!" Denyiir yelled as they dragged him out.

I approached the King and handed him the dagger, hilt-first.

"What will become of him? I hope that the evidence was substantial enough to keep him behind bars." I said calmly.

"It certainly is. Denyiir will stand trial in front of the Emperor and the Council. If they're feeling generous, he will be sentenced to a life behind bars." Vahlin confirmed.

"And the other slaves?" I asked.

"My men and I will consult the ledger to track down the slaves and buyers. We will bring our people home and arrest those involved with Lucan." Merrik promised and I nodded in relief.

"Thank you."

"It is _us_ that should be thanking _you_. Many have had suspicions of Denyiir and Lucan's dealings, but without evidence, we couldn't act. The people of Solitude will be relieved to know that this threat has been eliminated." Vahlin smiled.

"I'm happy to help, but I didn't do it alone." I turned and smiled at Ryne and Shara. "If possible, I'd like to ask for assistance with the survivors."

"I will work directly with them to get them home, safe and sound." Merrik promised.

"Thank you, and thank you for your time." I nodded to Merrik and began to walk away.

"Wait just a moment." Vahlin said and I turned. "In such a short time, you have done great things for my people. You are driven, fearless, and compassionate. I consider you a valuable friend to the throne." He grinned and I nodded in appreciation. "Therefore, I would like to offer you property in Solitude."

"Property?" My eyes widened.

"Yes. The home is called Proudspire Manor and it is yours if you accept."

I internally chuckled. I had owned this house before, but offering it without cost was generous. It seemed pointless for me to accept it, but it wasn't me that I was thinking about.

"It's a very generous offer. I accept." I bowed and smiled.

"Wonderful. Alma will provide you with the keys to your new home."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Vahlin nodded and returned the smile. Merrik grinned, pleased with my decision. Alma gladly handed me the key and I left the palace with the others.

"Well that was exciting." Shara teased. "I'll take my leave for now. I'd like to check on the others."

"Take care of yourself Shara." I smiled.

"You too Ashe."

Ryne and I continued walking. When we reached the manor, we stopped. I studied the building carefully. It appeared to be expanded in the last century.

"Congratulations. You're now a resident of Solitude." He said.

"Well I don't know about that. I doubt that I'll spend much time here."

"If you didn't want to live here, why did you accept?" Ryne lifted his brow.

"I didn't accept for me." I smiled. He gave me a puzzled look. "I accepted it for Gemma."

My attention returned to the exterior of the home.

"I think she'll love it here." Ryne smiled.

"Me too."


	23. Chapter 23

_**Hello all!**_

 _ **I received some feedback of making the chapters a little longer so I will try my best to honor that request! I hope you continue to enjoy the story! Please let me know what you think, don't be shy! :)**_

 _ **-Sh4d3r**_

* * *

 **Recap:**

"I didn't accept for me." I smiled. He gave me a puzzled look. "I accepted it for Gemma."

My attention returned to the exterior of the home.

"I think she'll love it here." Ryne smiled.

"Me too."

 **Chapter Start:**

I moaned softly and rolled over, clutching my pillow tightly. It was the first full night of sleep I had in weeks and I didn't want it to end. Yet, something didn't feel right. My eyes slid open.

"Ahh!" I squealed.

My body's immediate reaction was to fling myself away. Unfortunately, I ran out of bed space and smacked into the floor.

"Good Morning Sunshine." Kari sat in the chair on the other side of the room. Both her arms and legs were crossed.

"Ow…" I grumbled, rubbing my bruised bum as I stood up. "Is knocking out of date or something?"

"Of course not, but this was pleasantly entertaining."

I opened my mouth to protest but was interrupted when Ryne busted through the door, dagger ready. He panicked but relaxed when he assessed the situation.

"Kari?"

"Ryne, don't you know how to knock?" She snapped.

"Seriously?" I said flatly, giving her a dry look.

"She's not even dressed!" Kari gasped.

I looked down to my thin black undershirt and pants.

"He's seen me in less." I shrugged.

"Is that so?" She responded, lifting a brow.

 _Hmm...I didn't really think that one through._ I looked over at Ryne and he was as red as a tomato. My complexion wasn't far off. Kari chuckled.

"Seems like you two have become _very_ well acquainted in the past few weeks."

"It's not like that. W-we..." Ryne stuttered.

"Please, spare me the details." She teased.

"Very funny." I intoned. "How did you find us anyways?"

"Rithleen told me where to find you. She also sent me with your bow and a dagger. Do you always leave those lying around?" Kari asked, looking at the weapons laid out on the table. "And since when do you have a house?"

"Ashe!" Gemma bolted into the room and wrapped her arms around my legs.

"And a child?" Kari knitted her brows in confusion.

"Kari, this is Gemma. Gemma, Kari." I motioned for an introduction. Gemma tucked herself behind me, peeking out around my leg. "Don't be shy. She's is a good friend of ours." I gave a reassuring smile.

"Nice to meet you Gemma." Kari smiled.

She responded by clutching the fabric of my pants in her small hands. I chuckled.

"Why don't you go play. We need to talk about some adult stuff."

Ryne ruffled her hair when she passed him. She giggled and skipped down the hallway.

"Seems we have a lot to catch up on. Perhaps we can do that on the way." Kari frowned.

"Where? Did something happen?" My brows furrowed.

Her attention turned to Ryne.

"Bjorn is missing."

"What!?" Ryne stepped forward frantically, waiting for details.

"Your Argonian friend, Juunei-Teegla, stopped by the cabin. He was looking for you. He said that Bjorn didn't return after he took a job for the Guild. The last place they saw him was at the Flagon, a couple days ago."

"I'll get dressed." Ryne replied.

He immediately left the room.

"What about Desmond?" I asked.

"Desmond is fine. He's staying at the cabin in case he hears any news on Ysara."

"I see. Well, I'm going with you." I responded, shutting the door.

Kari waited patiently while I got dressed and then she followed me outside. Shortly after, Ryne joined us.

"I let Gemma know." Ryne said.

"OK. I need to stop by the Dour before we go."

"Alright. We'll meet you at the stables." Kari replied.

I nodded and we walked to the courtyard together. Ryne and Kari went out the gate and I continued up the stairs. Before I could reach the door, someone called out to me.

"Ashe! Wait!"

I turned and saw Langley jog over.

"Hello there." I smiled. "What can I do for you?"

"My father asked me to give this to you." He returned the smiled and handed me a set of light armor.

"There must be a mistake, I didn-..."

"He's been working on it for a while. 'Mentioned that your other set was practically an antique." Langley chuckled.

I laughed nervously. He wasn't wrong…

"Well let me..." With full hands, I struggled to grab my coin purse. He threw his hands up.

"He said you'd try to pay. We won't accept. It's a gift."

I gave him a genuine smile and nodded.

"Thank you both so much."

"You're welcome. Be safe." He waved goodbye and walked back to the forge.

I headed into the Dour and Merrik immediately smiled.

"Ashe, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing well, thanks. How are you?" I said, setting the armor on a chair nearby.

"Doing well. Were you ready to discuss our next move?" He walked over to the desk.

"Actually, I stopped by to let you know that I'm leaving for Riften. Hopefully I'll be back in the next few days." I pursed my lips.

"Is everything alright?" He frowned.

"We're not sure yet."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Could you check on Gemma while I'm gone?"

"Of course." He smiled.

I stepped forward and handed him the key. Merrik overstepped to receive it. A faint blush painted my cheeks as he hovered over me, less than a foot away. I backed up and he cleared his throat.

"Is there anything else you needed?" He asked, fiddling with the key.

"Actually...do you have a horse I can borrow?"

Riding with Kari wasn't bad but we had a **long** way to go and I had no desire to be next to a grumpy vampire.

"Sure. You can take one of mine."

"Thank you, Merrik." I smiled.

"Of course. I'll walk with you to the stables."

"Perfect. Give me just a second."

Merrik nodded and I stepped into another room to change. The armor that Balmolf had made fit perfectly. He must have taken the measurements from my other set.

I slipped on the bodice under my bust and over a white blouse. Then, I put on the leather trousers, over the knee boots, and leather greaves. He certainly thought of everything. There was a right-handed archer's glove and left-handed leather pauldron and brace. He even included two belts. One was a leather utility belt and the other was a beautiful, decorative silver link belt with red gems.

After I was done, I took a moment to admire the craftsmanship. The leather detailing and the decorative metal accents on the armor were incredible. I secured my weapons and walked out of the room.

"Wow." Merrik muttered.

"I agree. Balmolf really outdid himself."

"I'll have to put my order in." He chuckled.

We walked out of the Dour and down the stone path. I had hoped to thank Balmolf and Langley on our way out, but neither were at the forge as we walked by.

"How do you like the manor?" Merrik sparked conversation as we passed through the gates.

"It's beautiful. Gemma loves it." I grinned.

"That's good to hear. I'll confess that I was thrilled that you decided to put down roots here."

"Thank you. I'm not sure how much time I'll spend there, but it's nice to have the option."

"Hopefully I'll get to see you more often."

When I looked up at Merrik, he looked nervous. I blushed, catching onto his meaning.

Merrik took the lead when we arrived at his stables. He grabbed the reins and guided a black horse over to me.

"His name is Onyx." He smiled.

"He's beautiful. I'll take good care of him. I'm hoping to be back in a few days." I replied, petting his muzzle.

"Just be careful out there." Merrik's expression softened.

"I will." I nodded.

I climbed up Onyx's back and we trotted around the corner to meet the others. When I rode up, Ryne had to do a double take.

"I'm ready." I said.

Kari didn't waste time. She immediately hopped up on her horse.

"Where did you get the horse? And the armor?" Ryne asked, mounting his horse.

"Balmolf made the armor for me. The horse is Merrik's. He's letting me borrow him."

I smiled but Ryne did not share my reaction. He didn't say another word about it and mounted his horse. Kari led the way.

On the road, Ryne and I informed Kari of our recent encounters. She seemed very interested to hear about the cultists that wore a dragon sigil. I could tell that she wanted to press me for answers, but resisted the urge. It was something we would have to discuss in private.

She confirmed that, like us, they had made no progress in finding Ysara. It was hard to pick up a trail that didn't seem to exist.

Talking about our lack of progress made me drift back to my arrival. It had been nearly a month and I still had no knowledge of how or why I was here, or how I was going to get back home. The more I thought about it, the more conflicted I felt.

There was no winning. If I stayed here, I would never see some of my friends again, but if I left, how would it be any different? Ryne looked over at me and snapped me out of it. I realized that I had been staring blankly at the side of his head.

"Are you alright?" He mouthed the words, being careful to keep his concern private.

I gave a small nod.

I spent the remaining ten hours of the trip in my head with the exception of a few short responses. Ryne definitely took note of this. He was constantly peering over to me, trying to read through the silence. Catching his glance made my mind go wild.

Night had fallen and the temperature dropped. I shivered but kept my discomfort to myself. Kari wasn't easily fooled.

"We should rest here for tonight. We'll reach Riften tomorrow." She said, leading the way.

As we approached some faint lights, my brows furrowed in confusion. I knew exactly where we were...which is why I didn't expect to see any signs of life.

We dropped our horses off at the stables and I approached the main gate, staring in disbelief.

My eyes scanned the area in wonder. It was fairly late at night but quite a few people roamed the streets. A few vendors were lined up selling their goods to villagers and sweets to giggly children. There was live music playing and people dancing. It was so...alive.

We continued to walk and my eyes locked on to a very familiar tower. I was surprised that it was still standing. After all, this is where it all began.

"This is…"

"Helgen." Kari replied.

She smiled as she observed my astonishment.

"Let's book rooms for the night." Ryne said.

We walked through the inn and approached the bar top. I managed to space out completely as I looked around at all of the smiles and laughter that surrounded us.

"Enjoy your stay." The older man smiled from behind the counter.

"Thanks." Ryne replied, turning to Kari. "I could only get two rooms but one has a double bed."

"Are you sure you didn't plan that?" Kari looked at Ryne and smirked.

"The double bed is for you two." He blushed, pointing to the other room. She chuckled.

"At least I'll have a midnight snack." She looked over at me and grinned.

"Hilarious." I replied dryly. Kari chuckled again and Ryne shook his head.

The three of us went separate ways. Rather than going to the room, I immediately stepped outside. I was more than eager to see the tower up close.

Goosebumps coated my arms when the breeze picked up. The cold air felt more like a burn against my face. I didn't let it slow me down.

A mix of emotions washed over me when I approached the tower. It was overwhelming.

My life had no purpose before this point. Back then, I wandered Tamriel aimlessly, looking for a place that I could belong. That day changed everything.

I stepped closer to the tower to get a better look at the tall stone in front. Upon closer inspection, I saw the engravings and realized that it was a memorial to everyone who had lost their lives that day. My heart ached. The screaming, the flames, the destruction. It was something that I could never forget.

I knelt down and brushed away the snow at the entrance to the tower. The stone steps were covered in piles of candle wax.

"It's a memorial." Ryne approached with a folded cloth in his hands.

"A memorial?" I confirmed and he nodded.

"Every year, they surround the tower with candles to remember the people that were killed by Alduin. It's called the Day of Dovah. The day after is the Phoenix Festival, where they celebrate their 'rise from the ashes'." He quoted. My attention returned to the tower.

My victory over Alduin surprised me more than anyone. Ever since that day, I always carried a heavy weight, a fear that I wouldn't be strong enough; A fear that I would be a disappointment. Accepting contracts and helping people was a way to suppress it.

"Here, this is for you."

Ryne draped a cloak over my shoulders. It was black with fur lining and a hood. I felt immediate relief as I secured it over myself.

"I didn't know you had such a fabulous sense of style. Why don't I ever see you wear it?" I teased.

"Cute." He rolled his eyes. "I saw it hanging up at one of the vendor stalls. I thought you might like it."

"I do. It's lovely. How much do I owe you?" I pulled my coin from my belt.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it." He gave me a small smile but I pouted.

 _Why won't these people let me pay for things?_ He lifted his brow expectedly to counter any objections I had. A sigh of defeat escaped my lips.

"Thank you."

Ryne stood at my side and it brought a smile to my face. We had been practically attached at the hip for weeks and now, it was hard to imagine being without him. Whenever he was around, I felt...safe. That was a feeling that no one had ever given me before. It was something I rarely experienced to begin with.

"You know, you can talk to me." He broke the silence. I looked up at him curiously. "I consider you a friend. I hope that in the time we've spent together, you consider me the same."

"Of course." I frowned in concern.

"It's a strange thing...I barely know anything about you. We've been traveling together for weeks and I don't even know your real name."

His words made me feel guilty. He had saved my life, protected me, nursed me back to health...He had done so much for me, and I couldn't even tell him the truth.

"Ryne...I-"

"I understand. Something horrible happened to you." He interjected. My eyes glossed over and I bit my lip to keep it from trembling. "And If I've learned anything, your reason for keeping it to yourself is because you don't want anyone else to get hurt. Every now and then, I can see you breaking under the weight of the burdens you insist on harboring alone." His brows furrowed and he looked right into my eyes. My heart ached slightly when I took note of his concern. It almost felt like I was hurting him. "I just want you to know that I care about you, and that you can trust me."

There was no stopping the tears that streamed down my face. Ryne gently grabbed my forearm and pulled me into him. I felt his chin rest on my head as I buried my head into his shoulder.

"Whenever you're ready, you can talk to me. I'm not going anywhere." He said softly, tightening his arms around me.

"Thank you." My voice cracked. I pursed my lips, trying and failing to keep it together.

He stepped back and butterflies fluttered in my stomach when he brushed away the remaining tears on my face. The amber in his eyes began to captivate me again. I could get lost in them forever. He was…beautiful.

A ball bounced up against my leg and startled me. I picked it up and two young boys ran over. When I handed him the ball, he gave me a big toothy grin.

"Thank you, Miss!"

They wandered off and returned to their family. The boys kicked the ball back and forth, laughing and playing. I couldn't help but smile. Helgen was a memory that had haunted me for quite some time. Seeing it like this brought me some peace of mind.

"Come on. We should get some rest." Ryne motioned to the inn.

I beamed as I followed him back.


	24. Chapter 24

_**I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think! :3**_

 _ **-Sh4d3r**_

* * *

 **Recap:**

They wandered off and returned to their family. The boys kicked the ball back and forth, laughing and playing. I couldn't help but smile. Helgen was a memory that had haunted me for quite some time. Seeing it like this brought me some peace of mind.

"Come on. We should get some rest." Ryne motioned to the inn.

I beamed as I followed him back.

 **Chapter Start:**

The warm breeze felt great. It had been awhile since I had been to The Rift and I didn't realize how much I missed it. Crimson leaves rustled from the trees and crunched under Onyx's hooves. He seemed to be enjoying the change in weather as well. I doubt Merrik had traveled to Riften very often.

Onyx scurried forward to catch up with Ryne and Kari. When I pulled up at Ryne's side, he looked upset.

"I'm sure he's fine. Bjorn always gets himself in dubious situations. He has a talent for it."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Ryne knitted his brows.

"Stop acting like a nagging mother. He may have bad judgement but he makes up for it in resilience." Kari gave him an annoyed look.

Ryne didn't seem convinced but didn't respond. Arguing with Kari was a losing battle.

"Hey…" I said, grabbing his attention. "We'll find him. Try not to stress about what we don't know."

Ryne gave a light nod but his concern was clear. It wasn't unwarranted. We had been following trails of missing people for weeks and it seemed to lead to different threats each time. It felt like we had made no progress finding Ysara, and now, Bjorn was missing. Two of the people that he had cherished most.

It was odd, but thinking about Ryne's bond with Ysara left a lump in my throat. There had been a point in time where they were so close and so in love. I quickly brushed my thoughts aside. My personal feelings about their relationship was irrelevant. Right now, Bjorn was the priority.

Kari held up her hand and we all came to a stop. I watched as her black eyes whipped left and right. We were surrounded.

"Wolves." She whispered.

The horses began to whinny in a panic as the beasts closed in and circled us. This pack was large and vicious. One of them nipped at Onyx's leg. I tried to hang tight but he reared me off.

"Ack!" I cried out as my back hit the ground. The impact knocked the air out of me.

"Ashe!" Ryne yelled.

Onyx panicked again and I rolled away in time to avoid his hoof. My movement brought me closer to one of the beasts. Without hesitation, I nocked an arrow on my bow, aiming at the wolf that stood a few feet in front of me. He snarled and growled.

Ryne immediately jumped off of his horse, forcing the wolf to back up. The beast nipped the air in frustration when I tensed my grip on the bow. More wolves walked over to join their kin for an easy kill.

"Don't shoot." Kari said calmly.

"Are you crazy!?" Ryne whispered-yelled, reading his dagger.

I didn't know what she had planned, but I trusted her. Ryne cursed under his breath as I disengaged.

Tendrils of light circled Kari's palm and brightened as she casted a spell. The green light began to branch around, surrounding all of the wolves. The beasts immediately began to calm and looked around blankly.

"Get on your horses. We have less than a minute to clear out." Kari rushed.

Ryne quickly helped me to my feet and we mounted our horses. They were more than happy to oblige and raced down the path.

A few miles out, we slowed down to a normal pace. I rubbed Onyx's shoulder apologetically. While trying to calm him, I noticed blood dripping down my right arm. Upon closer inspection, I realized that busted my elbow open.

"Are you alright?" Ryne asked.

"Yeah. It's just a scratch." I grabbed my waterskin and cleaned the wound as best I could. Then, I wrapped a cloth to contain the bleeding. "Thank you, Kari."

"You're welcome. We should keep moving." She replied but I didn't respond.

Onyx stopped on command and Ryne immediately looked over to me, alarmed. For a moment, we stayed in complete silence, carefully observing our surroundings. Kari didn't turn around and it confirmed my suspicion. Someone was stalking us. They seemed to be keeping their distance.

"Kari…" I mumbled.

"I know." She replied. "Leave it."

"How many?" Ryne whispered, readying his dagger.

"Two, I think." I replied.

"They know we know." Kari's brows furrowed.

"They're backing off." I confirmed.

"Let's keep moving."

"And let them get the drop on us?" Ryne frowned.

"Bjorn is our priority." She stated.

Kari didn't wait for him to argue. She continued down the path. Ryne seemed frustrated with the decision. I didn't like it either, but she was right. We didn't know what happened to Bjorn and it was very possible that his time was limited. Our horses caught up to Kari and continued to follow her lead.

* * *

By the time we reached Riften, it was the middle of the night, and yet, the city was still very much awake. We walked through the gates and I immediately began to take in the changes. Just as Solitude, Riften had expanded a lot. There were more people, shops, and houses. I wasn't surprised to see the Black-Briar Meadery still up and booming.

"Ryne!" A man yelled. We looked over and saw an older man approach. "It's good to see you back friend."

"Thanks, it's good to be back." Ryne grinned and they grabbed each other's forearms. "Ven, this is Ashe and you've met Kari."

"Ashe, pleasure to meet you. Kari, it's nice to see you again." Ven extended his hand to me and I shook it. He nodded at Kari.

"This is Ven Mallory, a good friend of mine. He's also a fence for the Guild" Ryne finished.

"Mallory? Like Delvin Mallory?" I lifted my brow.

"Yes, Delvin was my Father. How did you know that?"

My palms began to sweat. Ryne seemed curious of my random knowledge.

"I read his book, Shadowmarks." I chuckled nervously. _Good save._

"Admirer of thieves, are we?" Ven smiled.

"I guess you can say that. What was your mother's name?" I knew I shouldn't have asked, but I _really_ wanted to know if Delvin finally hit it off with Vex.

"Her name was Annalise. Why do you ask?"

I internally pouted. _Poor Delvin._

"I was curious if she had written any books as well." I gave an awkward smile.

"Ah, I see." He chuckled. "Well sorry to disappoint you but she wasn't a writer, she was a merchant."

Ven turned back to Ryne and frowned.

"Any luck on Ysara?"

"Nothing yet. We're still looking." Ryne lowered his head.

"Keep your head up. You'll find her." Ven encouraged him. "I heard about Bjorn. I assume that's why your here."

"Yeah." He frowned.

"Well I'll get out of your way. Head to the Flagon. Let me know when you find that smelly bastard." He chuckled.

"I will." Ryne replied.

"Pleasure to meet you Ashe." Ven nodded.

"You as well." I returned the nod.

Ryne gave Ven a pat on the back as we walked by.

We continued to the lower levels of Riften and through the stone tunnel to the Flagon. Walking through them gave me an odd sense of comfort. Things had changed over the last century but it still felt like home.

Ryne held the door open as we entered the opening leading to the Flagon. "Good to see you." The bouncer shook Ryne's hand and motioned for us to pass through.

When we walked up to the bar area, I immediately noticed the lack of Thieves Guild members. The clientele was clearly of the devious variety. The Flagon seemed to be sharing the Black-Briar success. The deck area over the water had been extended and was littered with tables. Nearly every table was full.

"Wait here." Ryne yelled so I could hear him over the crowd.

Kari and I obeyed. I had a pristine armor, a dragon bone dagger, and a ruby bow. Kari was an Altmer wearing well-made robes. We clearly did not belong. The unwelcoming glances from the crowd made that even more obvious. I crossed my arms and leaned up against the wall.

My eyes followed Ryne, who went to speak with the bartender, but my view was obstructed when a Nord man approached.

"Are you lost ladies? I'd be more than happy to help you find your way home." He grinned.

Another man stood to my left, chuckling.

"Buzz off." Kari said, keeping her eyes on Ryne.

"Forgive my friend here. She's not fond of crowds." I gave a sweet smile.

"Well if that's the case, let me give you some advice. You ladies don't belong here. The Bee and Barb is more your 'cup o' tea'." He mocked, implying we were higher class.

"I appreciate the tip. Can I give _you_ some advice?" I asked politely.

"Sure, why not?" He grinned.

"Come here." I said softly, motioning for him to approach. He leaned in slightly. "Tell your friend to get his hand out of my coin purse or he'll lose it."

The man backed away and his brows furrowed. My eyes met his and I gave him not-so-genuine smile. When I turned my head, I saw his friend's hand reaching into the purse. He immediately removed it. Both men cursed under their breath and walked away. Ryne approached, observing our visitors as they left.

"What the hell was that about?" He glared.

I tossed up the coin purse that I snagged from the man's belt.

"Just making a bit of coin." I smirked and Kari chuckled.

"Did you just pickpocket that guy?" Ryne looked taken back, almost impressed by my illegal behavior.

"You're damn right I did. He tried to do it to me first." I emptied his coin into my purse and threw the empty bag away. "What's the deal?"

"The Guild Members are in a meeting. They should be out soon. Let's grab a drink while we're waiting." He said, looking around the area.

"Aren't you a member of the Guild? Why don't you join them?" Kari asked.

Kari confirmed one of my original theories. Like me, Ryne was a member of the Thieves Guild. Consequently, this only made him more intriguing.

"Well for starters, I can't trust Ashe to be civil and not cause a scene..." Ryne said sarcastically.

"Civility doesn't belong in a place like this." I countered in the same smart-ass tone as him. He gave me a small smirk.

"And I'm technically not an active member. I'd rather not involve myself until I officially return." He finished. "Come on." Ryne motioned for us to follow.

We took a seat at a table and shortly after, the bartender dropped off three bottles of Black-Briar Mead.

"Thanks, Benvik" Ryne smiled.

I observed Ryne carefully. As soon as we arrived, he seemed to lighten up. Plenty of people had greeted him and he seemed so relaxed. I could see it written all over his face. This was his family. A smile tugged at my lips. We had more in common than I thought.

"Ashe." Ryne lightly bumped my hand with the bottle.

"Sorry." I accepted the mead and immediately took a swig.

"So, do you have any idea who was following us?" Ryne looked to Kari.

"I didn't recognize their scent but one was a Khajiit and the other was a Redguard." She replied.

"That's it? You couldn't smell anything else?"

"I'm a vampire, not a bloodhound." She replied in her usual, unamused tone. "They were clever enough to keep their distance."

"What about-..."

"Ryne," A woman immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him from behind. "I've _missed_ you." She purred. I caught her double meaning.

My stomach dropped. I had yet to see another woman with him. These two clearly had an intimate history and Ryne didn't seem surprised by her actions, only slightly annoyed. It was obvious that he didn't want her there but I was too distracted by an unfamiliar feeling. This was the first time that I felt...jealous.

This woman wore more makeup than clothing but I managed to determine that she was a Nord based on her facial structure, pale skin, and light-colored hair. A good portion of the men surrounding us stared at her, or rather her breasts that were going to escape her blouse at any moment.

"Kari." The woman walked over and sat on Ryne's lap. "Pleasure as always." She sassed.

"Neomi, I just thinking the opposite." Kari countered.

They both exchanged a glare and I sipped my mead again. This was awkward.

Ryne gently grabbed her waist and guided her off of him. She placed her hand on his shoulder and began to rub his neck, completely ignoring us.

"Where have you been?" Neomi asked, tugging playfully at his ear.

"Hjaalmarch. Taking care of a few personal matters." Ryne replied. She must have known what he meant because she didn't press him about it. "This is my friend Ashe. Ashe this is Neomi." Ryne said, gently removing her hand from his ear.

She locked eyes with me and I could immediately sense her vexation. I didn't bother verbally greeting her. Neomi had made it very clear that we were not going to get along. Instead, I lifted my mead as a 'cheers' and took another swig.

"Nice to meet you." She lied through her teeth.

"Neomi, as much as I enjoy your company, we were actually in the middle of a private conversation. If you don't mind, could you piss off?" Kari asked.

I didn't bother butting in. Kari clearly had the situation under control.

"Kari…" Ryne frowned. He didn't seem thrilled about Neomi either, but he also wanted to avoid a scene.

"Ryne, shouldn't you put a leash on your beast?" Neomi spat.

"Yes, Ryne, shouldn't you? I'll prepare the noose to put around her neck." Kari replied, keeping her attention on our unwelcome guest.

Neomi stepped away from Ryne and stood over Kari. She was either very brave, or very stupid. Based on her demeanor, the second was more likely.

Ryne grabbed Neomi's hand and pulled her back in an attempt to stop the confrontation. She didn't budge.

"Trust me _witch_ , you don't want a piece of this." Neomi seethed.

Once again, I took another swig of mead to avoid any involvement.

"Sweetheart, everyone in this room has had a piece of you and they all spat it out."

I immediately began to choke and everyone turned their attention to our table. Kari's comment not only caught me off guard, but it clearly flustered Neomi. She immediately stormed off without another word.

"I hate that woman." Kari hissed.

"Who is she?" My voice cracked.

"Ryne's ex-strumpet." Kari crossed her arms.

"Ex- _lover_ and that was ages ago." He corrected. His eyes darted to Kari and he frowned. "Was that really necessary?"

Before Kari could argue her case, the members of the Guild walked out of the Cistern. Ryne placed his mead on the table and walked over to them.

"Remind me not to piss you off." I joked and Kari chuckled.

When I looked over, Ryne was talking to a member wearing black Thieves Guild Armor. They were easily recognizable as the leader. I had worn similar armor before.

My fingertips lined the rim of my bottle and I smiled. The memories I had of the Guild were some of my most treasured. Many of the members had become very good partners, and close friends of mine. I missed them.

"How's your elbow?" Kari asked, knocking me out of my thoughts.

I followed her gaze to my blood-soaked bandage.

"To be honest, I forgot it was there." I replied. Light emanated from my hand and in a matter of seconds, the wound healed. "Good as new."

"This is my friend Kari, and this is my friend Ashe." Ryne said, motioning towards us. I turned to greet his friend and my body froze when we locked eyes. "Ashe this is…"

"Impossible…" The woman gasped. Her violet eyes widened.

My heart stopped.

"Karliah?" I whispered.


	25. Chapter 25

_**Hello wonderful people!**_

 _ **I'm sorry that it's been awhile! I decided to make a few changes to the story (future events) and I had to remake the timeline. I think that the changes will be much better so I hope you all enjoy them! After some planning and reworking, I determined that we have A LONG way to go in this story. My guess is that we're almost halfway through. So buckle up peeps! I do apologize that I have not been posting as often, I am currently going through some health issue but I will continue to update as much as I can. As usual, I hope you all continue to love the story. I REALLY appreciate all of the feedback that I've been getting. Please feel free to let me know what you think! Thank you all again! 3**_

 _ **-Sh4d3r**_

* * *

 **Recap:**

"This is my friend Kari, and this is my friend Ashe." Ryne said, motioning towards us. I turned to greet his friend and my body froze when we locked eyes. "Ashe this is…"

"Impossible…" The woman gasped. Her violet eyes widened.

My heart stopped.

"Karliah?" I whispered.

 **Chapter Start:**

It was hard to determine which one of us was more surprised. I didn't know why it hadn't occurred to me that Karliah could still be alive. Dunmer could live for centuries. As an Imperial, I shouldn't have been alive.

"I don't understand, how can this be?" Karliah was at a loss for words.

Without hesitation, I stood up and pulled her into a hug. She gladly received it.

The consequences of our reunion were unpredictable, but all I felt at that moment was bliss. This whole time, I thought that everyone I knew was either dead or out of reach. Just one look at Karliah completely eliminated the loneliness that had been lingering over me since I had arrived.

"I take it you two know each other." Ryne said curiously.

When we broke from the hug, I took a moment to examine her face to make sure she was real.

"Yes…" Thankfully, Karliah had taken note of how Ryne had addressed me. "Ashe...Is a very good friend of mine. I haven't seen her in years." Her eyes returned to me. "You haven't changed in the slightest. I thought you were dead."

"Yes, well, we have a lot to catch up on." I smiled.

"Why don't we do that in the Cistern." Karliah said, motioning for us to follow.

"Karliah, are you certain they can?" Ryne whispered, motioning to me and Kari.

"Ashe is as much of a member as you are. I trust her more than anyone else in Tamriel. As far as your friend, if you both vouch for her, I won't question it." Karliah glanced at Kari. Ryne and I both nodded.

We followed her back.

"So _how_ exactly do you know each other?" Ryne's brows furrowed in deep thought.

I didn't have to time fabricate a lie, but luckily, I was in the presence of the best.

"We've worked together on a few Guild jobs." Karliah replied. She wasn't wrong. It was clear that Ryne was hoping for more detail than that, but he didn't have time to press before she changed the subject. "I'm happy you're all here and I'm assuming it's for Bjorn."

"Yes. Juunei-Teegla showed up at the cabin, looking for me-…"

"I know. I'm the one who sent him. I thought it would be best to involve you." Karliah replied, cutting Ryne off.

"Do you have any leads?" He asked.

"Yes, just one, but you're not going to like it." She frowned. "Maro Hex."

"Shit." Ryne muttered.

"What's wrong?" My brows furrowed.

"Maro Hex is a mercenary for the Black-Briars." Ryne replied.

"The Guild clearly has strong ties with them, what's the problem?" I pressed.

"Correct. We happily conduct business with the Black-Briars, however, we avoid business with Maro. He tends to bring us more trouble than coin." Karliah frowned.

"Do you know where we can find Maro?" Kari asked.

"My bet would be on the Meadery." Karliah responded.

"Well then, let's go." Ryne said.

"Of course. I'll join you, but if possible, I'd like a moment with Ashe." Karliah requested. Ryne looked slightly suspicious but nodded.

We both stepped away, being sure to distance ourselves from any potential eavesdroppers.

"I can't believe it. Please tell me this isn't some illusion." Karliah gasped.

Based on her reaction, she had been holding in her disbelief for the sake of my discretion.

"No, it's me. It's Ember." I smiled.

"How? What happened to you? Serana told us that you disappeared. We searched for months…years." She frowned.

"I'm...I'm sorry. She was right." My brows furrowed as I replayed the events in my head again. Karliah didn't respond. She waited patiently, but eagerly for my explanation. "I have yet to find who is responsible, but someone sent me here...to the future." Her eyes widened. "The night that I spent with Brynjolf and the others, that was when it happened. When I woke up, I was here. That was nearly a month ago for me."

"Why would someone do that?" She frowned.

"I don't know why, but they know who I am and they do not have good intentions." I clenched my fists.

"I take it that you've had an encounter with them."

"Yes. I was attacked by men wearing a sigil of Alduin. They seem to be some kind of cult. We killed them, but I doubt that the one in charge was among them. They will likely strike again."

"That explains the fake identity." She began to piece it together. "And Ryne?"

"The night I arrived, Ryne and Desmond took me in. I've been helping them track down Ysara. I think this cult is connected to the Hjaalmarch disappearances."

"That's troubling news. How much do they know?" Karliah motioned towards the others.

"Kari knows everything. Ryne...doesn't know."

"He's a good man. You can trust him." She reassured.

"I know. We've been nearly inseparable for the last few weeks. If not for him, I doubt I'd be standing here." I bit my lip and glanced over, catching his gaze.

Karliah followed my eyes.

"I see…" She smiled.

"What?" I muttered.

"The way you look at him...It's the same way that I looked at Gallus."

I opened my mouth to respond, but I didn't know what to say. Lying to her was pointless. She would see right through it. Knowing Karliah, she could see through the lies that I told _myself._

"When I find out who brought me here, I'll return to my time and…" I began to choke on my own words.

The obvious goal was to find out who was behind the disappearances, eliminate the threat, and return to my time. It was where I belonged...but was also easier said than done. The more time I spent here, the less I wanted to go back. I swallowed hard and bit my tongue.

"I see. It seems you have a difficult path ahead of you." She frowned sympathetically. "We should get back to the others. We'll talk more later." Karliah said, changing the subject on my behalf.

I nodded and followed her over.

"Alright, let's head to the Meadery." Karliah said to the others.

We followed her lead out of the Cistern. As usual, Ryne's curious and concerned gaze was burning its way into the side of my head.

The Black-Briar Meadery had taken over what used to be the Pawned Prawn and extended even further outside of the city walls. It had nearly doubled in size. As expected, they had also doubled in business.

When we walked in, there were people everywhere. Karliah and Ryne scanned the rooms as we made our way through. After a few minutes, they pointed at a man sitting in a private area, surrounded by his friends.

The man was large, buff, bald, and wore a higher tier of mercenary armor. He looked up at us and grinned.

"Ryne, to what do I owe the pleasure? Were you ready to take a job for me?" His voice was deep and his tone, cocky.

"Where's Bjorn?" Ryne jumped straight to the point.

"Bjorn? I have no idea. I haven't seen him in months."

"We know he took a job for you Maro, and he has yet to return. Just tell us where he is and we'll be on our way." Karliah's brows furrowed.

"I told you, I don't know where he is." Maro insisted.

I gritted my teeth. Bjorn had already been missing for days and to be honest, I was not in the mood to deal with this guy. I stepped in front of Ryne and looked down on Maro.

"Cut the bullshit. Where is he?" I glared.

"Back off Sweetheart. Leave this to the businessmen." Maro mocked.

"Tell me where he is." I seethed.

"I don't know. Perhaps a little coin could refresh my memory." Maro and his men chuckled.

I stepped forward again, looking him right in the eyes. Maro got to his feet and stood his ground. Ryne gently grabbed my forearm and tugged.

"Ashe, just leave it. We'll give him the coin, get the information, and be on our way." Ryne said calmly.

Maro seemed pleased with this. I cursed under my breath and snapped my arm from Ryne. Giving in to men like this irked me. Karliah didn't look surprised at my actions, she almost looked amused. Even so, I did my best to see this as Guild business and headed for the exit. I didn't make it very far before I felt a hand slap my ass.

"Good girl." Maro vexed, pulling his hand back.

"Oh shit…" Ryne said under his breath.

My nostrils flared and I swiftly turned around. Maro's eyes widened when I paced towards him and kicked him in the diaphragm. He flew back, threw the wooden wall, and slid across the ground of the other room, holding his chest.

His men scrambled and surrounded us but Maro raised his hand, stopping them in their tracks.

"You have no idea what you just did. Do you know who I am? The Black-Briars could end their business with the Thieves Guild for this…" He didn't have time to finish his sentence when I lifted him off of the ground by his collar and slammed him into the wall.

"Don't threaten me with the Black-Briars. Do you think that they would take kindly to you throwing their name around for your personal arrangements? You gave Bjorn the job, so as far as I'm concerned, our business is with _you_. Now tell me what I want to know." I demanded, tightening my grip.

"All right!" He surrendered.

I released his collar and backed away, waiting patiently for Maro to compose himself. He glared and signaled for his men to back down.

"What was the job?" I crossed my arms.

"A guy came to me a couple weeks ago. He said that he wanted me to raid a tomb and get him some artifact, called the Staff of Wraiths." Maro said. Kari cursed under her breath.

"What is it?" I asked her.

"The Staff of Wraiths is a very powerful, very dangerous artifact. It's not to be toyed with by thieves." She lectured Maro. "No offense." She said softly to Karliah.

"None taken." Karliah replied.

"Do you have any idea what that staff is capable of?" Kari frowned at Maro.

"Yeah, I do. That's why I hired Bjorn for a lower rate. He was to get the staff on my behalf and I could hand it over to my buyer."

"You're a gem in the rocks, aren't you?" I scoffed. Maro ignored my sarcasm.

"Where is the staff?" Kari asked.

"Snow Veil Sanctum. You're wasting your time, that fool is long dead by now." Maro taunted. I grit my teeth and planted my fist into his face. Maro cried out and looked up at me with thick streams of blood running from his nose. "You little bitch! You broke my nose!"

"You better pray that he's still alive. If not, you'll have more than a broken nose." I hissed.

Maro's men backed up as I walked passed them and out of the Meadery. The others followed me outside of the Riften gates and to the lake.

I kneeled down and washed Maro's blood from my hand.

"Well that didn't go well." Ryne pointed out.

When I turned, his arms were crossed and his expression was one of disappointment.

"Don't blame _me_. I tried to walk away. He provoked me." I bickered.

"I personally enjoyed it." Karliah chuckled.

"I second that." Kari replied.

"Don't encourage her." He pleaded.

I dried my hands and looked up at Ryne. He was trying to be the responsible one, but I knew that he had the same burning desire to knock Maro on his ass.

"Kari, what's the deal with this staff?" I asked.

"The Staff of Wraiths was created by one of Azura's former followers. The man became blinded by his thirst for power. He left Azura, and forged the staff to win Prince Boethiah's favor and become his champion. The staff supposedly holds the souls of over 1,000 victims of torment and tragedy." She frowned.

"Why would anyone want something like that?" My brows furrowed.

"Because it holds immense power of Illusion. It causes hallucinations, death echoes, nightmares; It makes you relive your darkest memories or shows you what you fear most. It was made to destroy the mind. I thought that mages of the College had obtained the staff and locked it away. Apparently, I was wrong." Kari said.

"Well, that's just _great_." Ryne groaned.

"Snow Veil Sanctum it is then." I replied.

"Just like old times." Karliah smiled at me. I returned her smile and nodded.


	26. Chapter 26

_**Hello Beautiful Readers!**_

 _ **I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please be sure to leave a review. Your feedback is very important to me! Thank you to those who have provided feedback, I absolutely love hearing from you and your positive comments have really helped keep me inspired to finish this! We have a long way to go but I'm happy you guys are with me for the ride. Thank you all so much!**_

 _ **-Sh4d3r**_

* * *

 **Recap:**

"Well, that's just _great_." Ryne groaned.

"Snow Veil Sanctum it is then." I replied.

"Just like old times." Karliah smiled at me. I returned her smile and nodded.

 **Chapter Start:**

We considered staying at the Inn, but determined that it was best not to risk another encounter with Maro. Instead, we immediately jumped on the road but after a few hours, the exhaustion began to kick in.

"I think we should stop here for the night." Ryne said.

"Agreed." Karliah replied.

The ache in my muscles bid me not to argue. We had been traveling non-stop since dawn and I had experienced more than enough excitement for one day.

Karliah led us into the woods and found a small clearing. Onyx whinnied in content as I secured his lead to a tree, next to the other horses. There was no doubt that he was at his limit as well.

"I'll gather firewood." I said. I didn't wait for a response and immediately headed into the woodlands.

Wind rustled the leaves above me and made me shiver. That didn't knock me out of my disorienting daze. I failed to notice that I was wandering aimlessly in a forest...in the middle of the night. The more my thoughts consumed me, the slower I walked. After a moment, I stopped and blanked out completely.

Normally, such a thing would be out of character. I was always on my guard, always focused, but not right now. The only thing I could think about was my reunion with Karliah. Her words had been haunting me ever since they left her mouth.

" _...We searched for months…years."_

I swallowed hard. The lump in my throat burned as slowly descended, causing an uncomfortable ache in my chest. When it reached my stomach, it stirred, becoming unsettled.

The one behind all of this was responsible for more than ruining my life. As a result of their actions, the people that I cared for most had suffered uncertainty and misery for years. Even people I did not know may have been affected. If Kari's theory was correct about their connection to the missing villagers, dozens of family members...Desmond, Ryne, Kari, Gemma...All of these people were searching and suffering, because someone was trying to get to _me_.

Whoever they were, they would stop at nothing to do so, including killing Merrik - as they had attempted, or anyone else who stood in their way. _Who would go so far...and why? If they intended to kill me, they would have done it by now. So, what in Oblivion do they want?_

I grit my teeth in frustration. A century ago, I thought my dragon blood was a gift. As time passed, it turned out to be quite the opposite.

The thoughts were violently ripped from my mind when a hand clasped my shoulder. Without hesitation, I drew my dagger and turned. A soft groan escaped their lips as I pinned their wrist against my shoulder and used my other arm to prop their elbow up, locking their arm in place. The blade of the dagger was pressed firmly against the light tan skin of his neck.

"Whoa!" He looked at me wide-eyed.

"Ryne!?" I immediately released him. "Gods…I nearly killed you."

"Are you pissed off at me or something?" He asked lifting his brow.

"I'm sorry, you snuck up on me, that's all."

"I called out to you but you didn't answer, you just stood there."

 _I didn't hear him at all. Was I really_ _ **that**_ _out of it?_

"Sorry." I mumbled, digging my teeth into my lower lip.

"What were you doing? You've been gone for a while now. We already have a fire going."

"Fire...right." My mind-numbing mental session had not only dulled my senses, but made me forget why I was out here in the first place.

 _What is wrong with me? Snap out of it._ I scolded myself.

"Is everything OK? You've been acting really distant as of late." Ryne's brows furrowed.

"Yes, I'm fine."

I was a great liar, but he wasn't an idiot. In our time together, he had learned to read me almost too well. That fact became clear when we were in Helgen. Thus, he just stared in silence, trying to give me an opportunity to open up to him. He sighed in defeat when I didn't take it.

"Why don't we head back? You should get some rest." He said. I nodded and we headed toward the camp. "By the way, I've been meaning to thank you."

I looked up, puzzled.

"Thank me? For what?"

"Coming with us. You and Bjorn aren't exactly friends, but you came anyways. I appreciate that, and he would...will too." Ryne tripped over his words.

It was unfortunate that Ryne lacked faith that Bjorn was still alive. Who could blame him? Ysara had been missing without a trace for nearly a year. Being put in this situation again had to be hard on him.

"You don't have to thank me, and don't worry, we'll find him."

"Yeah…" Ryne's face fell.

Without thought, my hand reached up to gently gripped his bicep in an attempt to comfort him. His skin was soft, and warm. A blush rose to my cheeks when his muscle tensed, revealing the solidity of his structure. He turned, clearly surprised, and I immediately retreated from his arm.

"Sorry." I murmured, avoiding his gaze. "Karliah knows Snow Veil Sanctum like the back of her hand. In fact, it was where we first met." My tone was reassuring.

"Is that so?" He immediately perked up in curiosity.

"It is."

"I'd like to hear the story." He smiled.

Considering that our first meeting was not only a famous Thieves Guild tale, but a very uncommon encounter, it was better to avoid his request.

"I'll tell you about it some time."

"Speaking of Karliah, I must say, I'm impressed." He smirked.

"With?"

"Your relationship with her."

"How so?" I lifted a brow.

"Karliah is very careful with the company she keeps and she said considers you a 'good friend'."

"Well, she shouldn't…" I muttered.

"Huh?" Ryne stopped in his tracks.

I stopped to face him.

"Nothing, sorry." I shook my head but it didn't help my state of mind. "We've been through a lot together. She's a close friend to me too."

As I examined his features, my eyes were immediately drawn to the contrast of red against light tan. _I must have cut him on accident._ My sudden change to a bleak expression made Ryne tilted his head. He followed my eyes to his neck and I looked up at him apologetically.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about-..."

Before he could question my actions, I reached up and healed the wound. Then, I wet a piece of cloth and began to gently wipe the blood off. The pulse in his neck quickened as my skin brushed against his. My heart followed suit but as the responsible party, I continued to clean it.

"I guess I'm the odd man out this time." Ryne chuckled nervously, trying to resume conversation.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Out of the three of us, I'm the only one who doesn't know who your name." He teased.

It was meant as a joke, but the sudden rush of guilt _stung_. Guilt for keeping him in the dark. Guilt for what I had put him through. Guilt for my possible, albeit unintentional involvement in Ysara's disappearance. He deserved so much better than that.

"Well, consider yourself lucky. Not sure if you've noticed, but I'm a bearer of misfortune." I replied, wiping the last bit of blood.

Ryne caught my hand as I was pulling away. His stern eyes locked me in place.

"Ashe, that's not true. I've been at your side for weeks and the only thing you've done is risk your life to help people." Ryne frowned.

"You don't know me Ryne, and if you did, you wouldn't want anything to do with me." I replied, avoiding eye contact.

When I turned to continue towards the camp, Ryne's hand gently slid up from my hand to my bicep, and hooked it. The delicate manner of his touch sent shivers up my spine. He pulled me back to him and I looked up. This time, we were closer.

"I _do_ know you." His eyes narrowed as he glowered down at me. My previous response was not to his liking. "I may not know your name, but I know _you_. I know that you're compassionate, intelligent, headstrong, _reckless_..." He lifted his brow as he put emphasis on my bad habits. "Talented, kind, and… beautiful." My stomach fluttered as his words faded off into a whisper. "You're an incredible person, Ashe. Stop tearing yourself down."

My chin fell, causing my hair to curtain around me. I didn't want him to see my eyes gloss over or my lips tremble. He relaxed his grip on my arm.

"People I care about have suffered and I'm to blame. How many times have you nearly been killed because of me?"

"You can't put the actions of others on yourself. People flock to you because they admire you. Warriors follow you because they have faith in you. Friends stay with you because they're willing to die for you."

Against my efforts, a few tears escaped, sliding down my abashed face.

"You may not see your worth, but we do." Ryne tilted my chin up and brushed them away.

I gave him small smile of gratitude. His eyes softened as he carefully examined my face, sweeping away the last of my tears.

Ryne tugged at my wrist. Though it was a gentle movement, it caught me off guard. I tripped over my foot and stumbled towards him. My heart pounded viciously when he caught me in his chest.

"Are you alright?" He mumbled, resting his hands on my triceps.

The calming scent of ironwood trees tickled my nose.

"Yeah, I-..." When I looked up to respond, my eyes widened.

He was close... _very_ close. Close enough that his breath was warming my face. I tried to gather myself but every bone in my body had turned to stone, anchoring me in place. Ryne ran his fingers through my hair, resting his hand on the side of my neck.

When his amber orbs flickered to my lips, my body went weak. Then, he slowly moved in to close the space between us.

"Ryne…?" It's all I could manage to say and with my lack of breath, I'm surprised he heard me.

"Ashe…" He whispered.

 _Is this really happening?_ Our friendship had made strides considering the first time we had met, but I never imagined _this_.

 _Had I been misinterpreting his feelings this whole time? No, that can't be right..._ Ryne's lips barely brushed against mine. The light touch caused my legs to tremble.

 ** _"I'm the only one who doesn't know who your name."_**

Those words echoed in my head and my barriers immediately went up. This wasn't fair to him _..._. My chin fell before he could close the remaining space. The movement caused his lips brushed against my forehead. I wrapped my hand around his and gently guided it away from my face, stopping his advances.

Ryne cleared his throat and stepped back.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." His voice slightly trembled in uncertainty.

My eyes stayed locked on his hand. Something about it made me feel warm, safe. He made no effort to pull it from me, but went wide-eyed when I gently kissed his palm.

 _And I shouldn't have done_ _ **that**_ _..._

"Please don't apologize. It's not that I don't want to...I just...shouldn't…" I planted my teeth into my bottom lip.

Ryne lifted his hand from me and cupped my chin, his fingertips gently traced my jawline. Though he didn't deserve this and I didn't deserve him, he still continued to be understanding.

"Why don't we head back and get some rest?" His smile made me melt all over again.

* * *

We didn't exchange any words on the way back to camp. I mentally backhanded myself for stopping him. It was the right thing to do, but I **did not** want to do it.

"Ryne, Ashe, is everything alright?" Kari asked as we approached. "I could smell your blood."

"Yeah, we're fine. Ashe beat me up in the woods and then healed me so no one would ask about it." Ryne replied.

"Wha-...!?" I gasped and he chuckled.

"I would have smelled more blood than that." Kari replied and Ryne gave her a dry look. Karliah and I chuckled.

It was a relief that he wasn't upset with me. I'm certain that he wasn't happy about being rejected but based on my actions, he must have known that I was just as disappointed.

Somehow, knowing how he felt about me made it easier to accept my feelings for him. Unfortunately, it was going to make everything else so much more difficult.

I laid out my bedroll within comfortable range of the campfire, and slipped in. The others shuffled around a little longer and then it went quiet. Exhaustion took over, leaving my muscles sore and my breathing even. The crackle of the firewood faded as I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Repetitive clacking of horse hooves against the brick path caused me to daze again. I tried to make sense of my thoughts rather than letting them crush my calm.

Against my efforts, Kari knew the truth, and though it was unintentional, Karliah now knew as well. The goal to remain undiscovered was wise, but nearly impossible. Thus, I wasn't surprised that my plan had been blown out of the window. I just didn't think it would happen so soon. Fortunately, - and against the odds - it was by a friend, not an enemy.

Nirn was still standing, so my effect on time was either minor, belated, or nonexistent. In addition to possibly posing a threat to end all life, I managed to piss off a lot of people. The cultists, the Thalmor, and possibly Denyiir's men were pursuing me. Anyone in my presence was in danger and those who know my identity, even more so.

I knew that it was best to err on the side of caution and remain unknown...but I was starting to consider telling Ryne the truth. He knew of my enemies and the risks of my company but insisted on sticking with me. Then again, the closer I got to convincing myself of telling him, the more afraid I became.

 _How would he react?_ Ryne previously admitted that he wasn't fond of the Dragonborn. It seemed childish of me to be anxious about that, but I was. This was followed by the consideration that I may have been to blame for Ysara, and Gemma's parents. If we were to discover that the disappearances were my fault, what then?

I had come to rely on his companionship these past few weeks. It was the only thing that kept me grounded. Telling him the truth about me would unquestionably change our friendship, maybe even destroy it. There was no way to predict what would happen and at this point, maybe it was selfish of me, but it was a risk I wasn't ready to take.

 _What in Oblivion am I going to do?_ I needed answers before I could bring myself to tell him.

"Ashe? Where are you going?" Kari asked.

I raised my eyes to see that the others had come to a stop. Onyx followed suit when I gently pulled back on his reigns.

"Sorry." I muttered.

Ryne caught my gaze and his features softened in concern. The events of last night raced back, causing my cheeks to burn. We both looked away and my eyes fell on Kari. She appeared to notice the exchange.

"We're here." Karliah motioned forward.

Sure enough, I turned to find the familiar burrow surrounded by layers of snow and collapsed stone pillars. For some reason, the sight did not bring me warmth or bittersweet memories as I had expected. No, something was very wrong...


	27. Chapter 27

**ATTN!:**

 **Pretty please leave a review if possible. I've been getting very little feedback (Although I am VERY grateful for the few that have given me feedback). Reviews are appreciated and help me stay encouraged/inspired to continue writing. I've been having a hard time staying committed (I'm shameful and I'm sorry). So please let me know what you think! Thank you so much!**

* * *

 **Recap:**

"We're here." Karliah motioned forward.

Sure enough, I turned to find the familiar burrow surrounded by layers of snow and collapsed stone pillars. For some reason, the sight did not bring me warmth or bittersweet memories as I had expected. No, something was very wrong…

 **Chapter Start:**

Everything about the atmosphere was unsettling. The oxygen itself was thick and heavy with the smell of decay, making it extremely difficult to breathe. Had the scent not been present, the aura alone would still be enough to bring a weak man to his knees.

We carefully prowled through the old, ominous, stone temple. My bow was nocked and ready, but we had yet to encounter anything hostile. It seemed as if no one had stepped foot into the Sanctum for years. That was our guess, until we found a body.

"I don't recognize him." Ryne said, retracting his hand from the man. "But he's definitely been here for a few days."

"He's not a Guild member. Possibly a bandit?" Karliah observed.

I raised the collar of my shirt to cover my nose. The smell of death wasn't far from foreign to me, but it was something I preferred to avoid. Even more so when the body was fairly fresh.

"We should keep moving." Kari said, eyes narrowing at the dark halls ahead of us.

Ryne got to his feet and nodded. We cautiously resumed.

As we delved further into the darkness, it only became harder to breathe. Something was heavy in the air, something sinister. A loud and sudden scream made me jolt. I turned, ready to release my arrow.

"PLEASE STOP! AHHHGHH!"

Chills ran up and down my arms as I stood, paralyzed in both confusion and bitterness. It was impossible to determine the identity of the young man since he was merely a dark, transparent silhouette.

"ALRIGHT! Broken Oar Grotto!" He submitted. "He's hiding out in Broken Oar Grotto!"

A chilling cackle echoed through in the room. The man cried out again, shrieking, when his was head lowered. As it did, his screams were muffled. The bubbles of oxygen rose to the surface of the absent liquid. He was being drowned, yet all I could see was him. No men, no water, nothing but him.

"Kari, what the hell is this!?" I gasped, barely managing to choke up the words.

"It's a death echo. We're seeing one of the souls imprisoned in the staff, in their last moments of agony." She replied, approaching at my side, shining her torch on the figure. My eyes glossed as I watched him squirm for air. I tried to help him, but as I stepped forward, my hand went right through him.

After a few moments, his body stilled. When it did, it deteriorated, disappearing into thin air like ash. My grip tightened against the wood of the bow.

"This is only the beginning." Kari said, turning heel.

I took one last glance and then followed close behind the others. Mere minutes later, the screams of dozens began to echo through the halls. Their cries were loud and plenty, enough to shake the dirt from the ceiling above our heads.

Not long after, we came upon another echo. The woman was middle aged and her baby was crying in another room. Men had barged into her home and pinned her to the floor. I watched them strike her again and again until she lost her fight. Then her dress slid up to her waist, revealing her bruise-littered skin. The men chuckled and taunted her while they took turns raping her. She begged for them to stop but they did no such thing.

A violent twist in my gut made me feel sick. Ryne laid his hand on my shoulder and guided me out of the room as the men strangled the life from her. Blood seeped from my palm and I realized that I had clenched my fists hard enough to draw blood.

"Straight ahead!" Karliah released an arrow and killed a Draugr.

More Draugr turned corner and she took another down. I followed her lead, picking them off one after another, but they kept coming. Ryne and Kari jumped in and attacked at close range. I had no choice but to do the same.

Suddenly, another turned the corner. A chest plate rattled against his partially visible rib cage and large tusks peaked from his old, battered steel helmet. His intense, glowing red eyes narrowed when he saw me.

"Deathlord!" Karliah warned.

Her arrow sprung from the bow and made contact, right between his eyes. I tied blades with another Draugr while watching Karliah nock another arrow. However, before she could release, a Draugr charged towards her, forcing her to block his strike. As the Deathlord ripped the arrow from his flesh, he eyed Karliah viciously. The disheveled, leathery flesh of his jaw stretched and he stepped back into a familiar stance.

"Get down!" I yelled, charging forward.

My hands made contact to his chest and sent him flying backwards. The force shifted his body to face me and he managed to release his shout.

"FUS-R-...!" He hissed.

Though it wasn't a full shout, the attack was still strong enough to send me back. Air was brutally expelled from my lungs when my body smacked against the stone walls.

"Ashe!" Ryne yelled, parrying an attack.

The Deathlord recovered and approached. His large, Nordic blade struck down fast. I didn't have time to recover so I quickly turned to face him, catching his blade between my palms. He leaned into his attack, putting more weight into it. The strength in my arms began to fade, causing them to tremor.

"Dova-..." A faint whisper escaped his lips and my eyes widened. Before he could finish uttering the words, an arrow connected to his temple.

The body collapsed, heavy at my feet. I panted to retrieve the oxygen I lost.

"Ashe, are you alright?" Karliah asked, relaxing her grip on the bowstring.

"Dandy." I waved. "Nice shot."

Ryne extended hand to me and I gladly accepted, getting to my feet. His lack of reaction made it clear that he hadn't heard the Deathlord's last words. Karliah saved my ass in more ways than one.

The bodies of over a dozen Draugr now littered the halls. Of course, they were common, I knew that. But they rarely appeared in such numbers. Someone had to be behind it.

Karliah opened her mouth to speak again but another scream echoed through the ruin. I tensed.

"That one sounds like..." Karliah frowned.

"Bjorn!" Ryne yelled, immediately bolting towards the plea.

Kari and I were right behind them. I looked her way, curious of her reaction. She looked to be bothered, but not alarmed. If it was Bjorn, wouldn't she be able to smell him? That was when I caught the scent; Frankincense. It was strong. Damn near overwhelming. There was no doubt that Kari's sense of smell was eliminated completely. Someone was definitely here, and they didn't want to be found.

"Stay on your guard!" I said, carefully scanning the rooms as we ran through.

Kari and I nearly caught up to them but just before we could enter the room, a large metal gate crashed down behind us. She pulled my shirt and another gate crashed in front of us, inches from my feet.

"Thanks." I said, standing up. I dusted myself off and looked to Ryne and Karliah. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, we're fine." Karliah replied. "I'll look for the gate control."

"Alright, we'll do the same." I nodded and turned to Kari, but she was gone.

Adrenaline rushed through my veins. A quick scan of the room made me anxious. She was gone.

"Kari!?" I yelled, but received no response. When I turned again, the room that Ryne and Karliah were in, was now gone. It was now a wall, with no indication that the room had even existed.

"Ryne!? Karliah!?"

No response. Then, the unsettling silence was abruptly cut off by something even more disturbing. Something that shook my sense of calm…

"ASHE!? AGHHH!"

"Ryne! Where are you!?" I screamed, pounding my fists against the walls.

"PLEASE STOP!" A woman begged.

"Kari!" I turned to the sound of her voice but she wasn't there.

Their cries amplified. The sounds echoed again and again, loud enough to feel like physical strikes to my head. I slumped down into the corner and covered my ringing ears. Tears began to stream down my face and my body trembled.

Then, an odd sensation washed over me. My limbs felt relaxed, and heavy.

"Ashe!"

"Hmm?" I grumbled, trying to move.

"Ashe! Wake up!"

My eyes slid open and adjusted to the sun. A familiar and unexpected figure casted a shadow on me. The rays of light reflected off of his short brown hair.

"Merrik?" I muttered. The events that happened only moments before caused me to shoot up. "What are you doing here? Where am I?"

"Whoa, calm down!" Merrik lifted his hands in protest.

When I looked around, the area immediately became familiar. We were at his stables, sitting on the ground next to Onyx.

"What...?" I gasped quietly. A lump formed in my throat.

"Are you alright? You were petting Onyx and then you collapsed." His green eyes softened.

"I don't understand...How did I get here?" I muttered, getting to my feet.

"What are you talking about?" He tilted his head an immense confusion. "You know, maybe you shouldn't go to Riften. You don't seem well."

A ship bell chimed and waves crashed against the pier. We were back at the docks. Right where Merrik had lent Onyx to me.

"You said the others are waiting for you, right?" Merrik frowned.

 _That's right. After talking to Merrik, I was supposed to meet the others at the stables._

"Ashe! Wait!" Merrik called after me but I didn't stop. I had to see them.

He followed close behind as I made my way up the hill. Ryne and Kari turned to look up at me.

"Ashe? Are you alright? You look pale." Ryne muttered. His expression immediately changed to a frown when Merrik stopped at my side.

"She just collapsed. I think it may be best for her to stay and rest." Merrik replied.

Normally, I would have argued, but I couldn't even bring myself to talk. The cool breeze against my clammy skin, the smell of sea water, the sound of seagulls, and the ringing of the ship bells. I reached up to touch Merrik's hand and he slightly jumped at my cold touch.

"Uhh...A-Ashe?" His face turned bright red.

My teeth dug into my lip. Everything felt so real.

"You're acting rather strange." Kari lifted her brow. I looked over and Ryne's eyes were narrowed on Merrik. He whipped his head away to avoid my gaze. "Maybe he's right. You should rest."

I didn't respond. Instead, I walked over to Ryne. His eyes slightly widened when I approached. My heart began to race, but I had to know.

"Ashe?" He murmured.

Ryne stood, frozen and confused as to why I had rested my hand on his cheek. He stumbled back slightly when I pull him into a hug. After a moment of hesitation, his arms wrapped around me. It was just like before. He was warm, comforting, safe, and he smelled like Ironwood trees.

"AGHH!"

My hands immediately left Ryne and I whipped around to see Merrik. His eyes were wide and he groaned as a blade was pulled from his chest. One of the cultists stood behind him with a satisfied grin on his face.

"MERRIK!" I yelled, running to his side.

He tried to respond but continued to wheeze, trying to hold on as long as he could. I pulled him into my lap and tried to heal him but it was too late. His body went still. When I checked his pulse, it was gone. He was gone.

"This isn't real." I gasped.

I tried to convince myself, but even so, the grief was very real. Seeing his lifeless body in my arms, touching his ice-cold skin. It was something that I couldn't bear.

"This isn't real." I whispered again, becoming more panicked.

"Ashe! What are you d-AGGHH!"

"RYNE!" I cried out.

Another cultist pulled his blade from Ryne. His body collapsed to the dirt and blood began to pool around him.

"This isn't real." I raised my voice.

"NO! STOP!" Kari yelled.

My eyes were clamped shut but I could hear Kari's body hit the ground. _Wake up. Wake up. Wake up._

"This isn't real." I choked.

Footsteps approached and stopped in front of me. Merrik's body was pulled from my lap and my eyes shot open. The cultist stood over me with a sick look of satisfaction. _They're not dead. This is just an illusion. He can't-...He can't touch me!_

"THIS ISN'T REAL!" I screamed.

My heart dropped when his hand clasped the material of my shirt and shoved me back. The gravel dug into my skin as he straddled me. When I struggled against his grip, he punched me in the face. I felt everything. The pain from the blow, the blood dripping from my busted lip, his grip on my shirt…

"Go to sleep." He chuckled and placed a cloth against my nose and mouth.

My hands flew up and tried to pry his arm from my face. In seconds, the potent, bitter chemical burned its way through my system. It immediately began to take effect, draining my strength.

"That's right." He chuckled.

My eyes slid shut and the darkness began to take hold of me. _What have I done? I just watched..._ I was so confident that it wasn't really and now I didn't know what to believe. Ryne felt so real. His skin, his smell, his voice... _And now he's_...My heart ached. _What happened to them? What was happening to me? They can't be dead. This can't be r-..._

"Ashe…"

The voice was faint, but familiar.

"Ryne?" I whispered.

The cultist growled in frustration and pressed harder against my face.

"Ashe!"

It was him. He was calling to me. He was alive. I immediately began to struggle against the cultists grip. My body felt heavy and weak.

"ASHE! Snap out of it!" His voice sounded close.

The cultist tried to throw another punch but I moved my head to the side. My foot slammed against his chest and sent him flying backwards.

"Ryne!?" I yelled.

"Cut your hand!" He responded.

"What?" My brows furrowed in confusion. "Cut my…?"

It took me only a short moment to understand. I pulled the dagger from my belt and the cultist charged towards me. His hands were mere inches away, and then he vanished when blade sliced my skin.

The illusion faded and I gasped for air.

"Are you alright?" Ryne's jaw clenched.

His hands were wrapped tightly around the metal gate that separated us.

"Yeah." I replied.

"Help her!" Ryne motioned over to Kari who was on the opposite side of the room.

Her body was flailing and she whimpered lightly.

"Kari!" I ran at her side.

When I brushed against her skin, the room changed. It was faint and transparent, but I recognized the decor and the architecture. It was a room at one of the Thalmor Embassies. My gaze returned to Kari and she looked different. Her eyes weren't black. They were a deep green color, filled with fear. _In this vision, she isn't a vampire..._

Footsteps echoed against the hallways and she crumbled against the cold tile as a man approached. He was tall with olive colored skin, dark grey hair, and gold eyes. He glowered down at Kari and kneeled.

"Vallas, please!" She pleaded.

Vallas!? I returned my attention to the man and carefully studied his features. He glared and grabbed her by her hair.

"How dare you embarrass me!" Vallas struck her face and she cried out. "You're nothing but vermin. Filthy and worthless!" He spat.

"Kari! Snap out of it!" I yelled, but she didn't respond or even react.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-..." Kari groaned as he struck her again.

"Shut up!" Vallas hissed.

"Try to cut her!" Ryne yelled.

I pulled the dagger from my belt and placed it against her palm.

"I'm sorry about this." I muttered, slicing her skin.

She slightly groaned, but the illusion continued.

"Kari!" I yelled again.

No response. My hand brushed her skin again and I saw Vallas beating her. The man had no mercy or remorse. I grit my teeth. _Was this a memory?_

"It's not working, she won't wake up!" I frowned.

My hands shook her shoulders but she cried out as Vallas struck her again.

"LYKARIA!" I yelled. Nothing. _What the hell do I do?_ "Ryne, it's not working, I don't know what to do." The panic began to sink in again.

"Shit." Ryne began to pace frantically.

She looked terrified. It was strange to see her so young, afraid, and...

"Wait…!" I gasped. "I have an idea!"

Ryne immediately approached the bars again, anxiously awaiting the plan.

"What can I do?" He asked.

"You can promise that you won't be mad." I looked back at him and gave him a faint smile. He didn't return it. He knew me well enough to expect something reckless, and his assumption was correct. I grabbed the dagger from the floor and cut my palm again. This time, the cut was much deeper. A soft groan escaped my lips and the blood poured down my arm. "If I can't wake up the Altmer in you, then I'll wake the beast." I muttered, placing my palm to her lips.

"Ashe! Stop!" Ryne panicked.

Kari's illusion disappeared and her black eyes shot open.

"Kar-...ACK!"

She tackled me to the ground and sunk her sharp teeth into my neck. I cried out at not only the pain of her draining the blood from my body, but the vampiric venom that began to seep into my veins. Normally, she had good control over her needs, but I was well aware that she hadn't fed for a few days. The rapid blood loss sent my body into shock and everything began to grow dark.


	28. Chapter 28

_**Hey there wonderful readers!**_

 _ **I'm sorry for yet another delay on the story! Once again, I've been dealing with some health problems and in addition to that, I needed a break. It's been getting more and more difficult to stay focused but I am absolutely determined to finish this story! Fair warning, we have a LONG way to go. Even so, I'm excited to show you what I've been working on and get your feedback! I really hope you're still enjoying the story. Please let me know if you are!**_

 _ **Reviews are very encouraging and helpful. They keep me motivated and inspired! Well I will leave you to it! Thank you again for the support!**_

 _ **-Sh4d3r**_

* * *

 **Recap:**

She tackled me to the ground and sunk her sharp teeth into my neck. I cried out at not only the pain of her draining the blood from my body, but the vampiric venom that began to seep into my veins. Normally, she had good control over her needs, but I was well aware that she hadn't fed for a few days. The rapid blood loss sent my body into shock and everything began to fade into darkness.

 **Chapter Start:**

When Kari's illusion faded, the bars between us had dissolved into dust. Ryne wasted no time.

"Kari! Stop!" He lunged towards us and pulled her back.

Ryne grabbed her arms and shook her. For a moment, she stayed still, but then she peered around the room. Her brows furrowed when she tasted my blood on her cold lips. Then, her eyes fell on me. Kari went pale in comprehension.

"Ashe?!" She gasped.

Both of them returned to my side and hovered over me.

"Ashe! Hey!" Ryne panicked, resting his hand on my cheek.

My body was lifted effortlessly and the bow was removed from my back. Even ground made it easier to breathe. Two strong, but gently arms cradled me and his warm breath brushed against my forehead.

A cloth was firmly pressed to the laceration on my neck and I groaned at the shot of pain. Kari's bite lit my veins on fire. The best course of action was to relax and wait for it to subside; at least enough to be bearable.

"I'm sorry." Kari's voice cracked, resonating with shame.

After the illusions, everyone was feeling emotionally compromised, but witnessing Kari in such a state was troubling. Her ability to remain calm and confident in all situations was something that I had grown to admire. Seeing her like this left a pit in my stomach; Recalling what she saw made it grow.

The way that he looked at her...the way that he hurt her. There was no doubt in my mind that it wasn't only a vision, but a memory.

" _How dare you embarrass me!" Vallas struck her face and she cried out. "You're nothing but vermin. Filthy and worthless!" He spat._

Rage welled up inside my idle body. Vallas was going to pay for this. He was no better than Lucan and he would meet the same end. I was going to make sure of that.

"I'm sorry, I didn't-..." Kari backed away in dejection. I caught her wrist and tugged.

"Hey…" I muttered. "Don't worry about me. I'm glad you're alright."

The moment I became responsive, Ryne's hold on me relaxed.

"You idiot…" He released a small sigh of relief.

"Sorry…" I murmured.

"I'll save the lecture for when we get out of here." Ryne playfully quirked a brow.

"You promised me that you wouldn't be mad." I smiled.

"I never agreed to that. Besides, I seem to recall _you_ promising that you wouldn't jump into anymore burning buildings."

"Sounds like we'll need to go over the specifics." I replied and he chuckled.

"How are you feeling?" Karliah asked.

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not." Ryne affirmed. His soft features immediately hardened.

In a foolish, yet successful attempt to convince him otherwise, I left his arms and got to my feet. An intense pain pulsed through me but I donned a mask of calm.

"Take it easy. You shouldn't be standing." Karliah frowned.

"You've seen me endure worse than this. We should keep moving." I replied.

A somber aura hung over Kari. Despite the one in ten chance, I had contracted Sanguinare Vampiris and there was no doubt that she knew. Likely feeling indebted to me, she didn't disclose it to the others.

My hand rested on my neck and warmth emanated through my palm. Though the wound had closed, but the pain did not subside. Still, I remained placid, readied my bow, and motioned to the hallway.

"Let's go." I urged. Whoever was here had successfully pissed me off. I was eager to confront them.

Ryne's eyes were burning into the side of my head, displaying an expression that I knew all too well; one of disapproval. I took a quick glance and then turned to avoid any confrontation. Arguing about it wasn't going to get us anywhere.

My eyes narrowed to adjust to the darkness as I advanced through the Sanctum. The others were close behind. We didn't have to walk far before we reached a large double door.

The wood was old and rotted, surrounded by metal frame and Nordic engravings. The candelabras around the frame did not emit a pleasant feeling.

Ryne stepped forward and reached for the handle. I nocked an arrow and nodded. When the door creaked open, a rush of icy air was released, inducing a shiver. The breeze was followed by a light whimper.

"No… please…Bronri…"

Without hesitation, I immediately approached the noise. Whatever or whoever was there, didn't give off killing intent.

"Ashe, wait!" Ryne whispered. His hand grazed my forearm but failed to stop me.

The whimpering ceased when I approached a door. Then, something shuffled against the wood. The others hovered behind me.

"Kari...torch…" I murmured, reaching back.

When the door opened, it revealed a small storage room, filled with urns and broken vases. A figure trembled behind one of the large vessels. I raised the light and illuminated his dirty, malnourished face.

"Bjorn!" Ryne yelled, brushing passed me.

Ryne kneeled in front of him and firmly grabbed his shoulders. Bjorn responded by violently pushing him away. I stepped in to catch Ryne before his back hit the ground.

"NO! STAY AWAY!" He panicked.

"It's OK. It's Ryne!" Ryne raised his hands in submission but it did not bear an effect. Bjorn scurried back, tucking himself even tighter into the corner of the room.

"Bjorn, it's us!" Karliah yelled, but he didn't even acknowledge her.

The look he gave us was one of unmitigated fear. His skin was pale and sweaty, and every inch of him was trembling uncontrollably. Upon closer inspection, there was clouding over his eyes. Almost like cataracts. His pupils darted left and right, frantically.

"Ryne…" I murmured in his ear, being careful to remain calm. My hand grip gently tightened against his shoulder. "Look at his eyes. I think he's in an illusion."

Ryne's eyes followed mine. Then, he slowly pulled the dagger from his belt.

" _Don't let them touch you!"_ A distant hiss echoed through the Sanctum and Bjorn began to panic. My attention whipped to the sound of the voice.

"Hold him down!" Ryne yelled, snapping me out of it.

The three of us charged in, each grabbing Bjorn by a limb. He thrashed around, throwing kicks and punches, one of which connected to Karliah's face. She flew back, holding her busted brow.

"Karliah!" I yelled, looking her way, but the setting had changed.

A transparent illusion had taken over the room, just as it did when I touched Kari. We were now in a forest, surrounded by birch trees that had been kissed by autumn. I expected to see an enemy, or a memory, but there was nothing. It was just an empty forest.

"Bjorn! Stop this!" Kari yelled, but to no avail.

Ryne saw an opening and went to strike, but Bjorn kicked him square in the chest. Then, Bjorn struck a blow to Kari's face. I immediately released my hold on him and he got to his feet. His eyes were still clouded and within them, instead of me, I saw a reflection of a Hagraven.

"What the…" My brows furrowed in confusion.

He struck again and I grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back.

"Ack!" He yelped as I slammed his body into the wall, face first, limiting his movement.

Not giving him an opportunity to strike again, I quickly pulled an arrow from my quiver and sliced his palm. His body went limp and heavy. My arms caught him before he could hit the ground.

"Bjorn!" Ryne recovered and ran over to check on him. Karliah followed suit.

I backed away, giving them some space. Bjorn didn't land a hit on me, but the struggle against him was enough to wear me down. A sudden jolt of unbearable pain made my legs buckle and before I collapsed, a cold hand firmly hooked my bicep. I turned to Kari and gave her a light nod of appreciation. Her eyes were elsewhere. When I followed them, Karliah was looking over at me, with a displeased visage.

"Ryne…" Bjorn muttered, catching Karliah's attention. He was conscious, but weak and pale. Ryne gave him some water and Bjorn looked around. "You guys came for me." He exhaled ease.

"Of course we did. Who else would be dumb enough to save your stupid mug?" Ryne teased. Bjorn chuckled at the remark.

I peered over at Ryne and he looked...lighter. As if a huge weight had been lifted from him. Seeing his solace made my lips curl into a smile.

"Thank you, friends." Bjorn caught my eye and nodded in gratitude. I smiled and returned the gesture.

"There's no way that he can walk." Karliah confirmed, helping Bjorn to his feet.

"Windhelm is the best option. I can finish up here and meet you there afterwards. Then we'll return to Riften." I suggested. She looked over at me, unhappy, and very aware that I was not in good shape.

"We came for Bjorn and we got him. We should leave." Ryne crinkled his brows.

"I'm not leaving without that staff. You've seen what that thing can do in the wrong hands." I replied.

"It's no longer our problem." Ryne insisted.

"Ashe is right. We've only gotten a small taste of what that staff is capable of. It needs to be destroyed." Kari agreed.

Ryne peered at my neck. It was obvious that leaving me and Kari alone didn't sit well with him.

"Karliah, we'll meet you in Windhelm." Ryne submitted.

"Alright." Karliah threw Bjorn on her back and grazed passed me. As she did, she whispered in my ear. "You better come back in one piece."

I gave her a nod and she hurried out. Ryne looked over, alarmed by our covert exchange. Despite his curiosity, he didn't ask. At this point, he was getting used to it.

" _How exciting! You honestly believe that you have a chance!_ " The voice from before reverberated through the tomb again. " _Very well. Let's play."_ He cackled.

The walls began to tremble, coating our surrounds with dust. For a moment, the only the sound to be heard was the restless stone structures tremoring. Then, black mist began to emerge from the ground beneath us.

"What is this?" I knitted my brows and stepped back. It was no use. In the matter of seconds, the entire floor was cloaked.

Kari and Ryne didn't respond. They didn't know the answer. Without hesitation, I readied my bow. I tried to listen carefully, prepared to strike at any moment. Then, the foreboding silence was broken by something much more dreadful.

"ACK...ARGGHHH!"

"HELP ME! SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

Cries of men, women, children...all of them pleading for their lives, for their families, for mercy. So many of them. One voice in particular struck _hard_. It left my curled fists shaking with rage and anguish. The small voice was sweet, innocent...It sounded just like Gemma.

"NO! THAT HURTS! PLEASE! AHHHH" She screamed.

I bit my lip, accidentally drawing blood. Doing so was a poor decision. The taste of iron coated my tongue causing the venom to strike back. A groan escaped my lips and I winced involuntarily as it burned and pulsated through me. Beads of sweat began to form on my pale complexion.

"What is it!?" Ryne tugged at my wrist. I turned to face him but immediately pushed him to the side. His wide eyes followed the dagger that flew between us.

The blade struck a wooden beam behind me and dissolved. The, it materialized into the hand of the sender. My eyes widened.

"Did you miss me?" The sick amusement in his voice was all too familiar.

His skin was pale -almost as pale as snow- with the exception of the dark bruise that wrapped around his neck. A pair of cloudy, decayed eyes darted in my direction, piercing right through me. Whatever bit of humanity he had left, if any, was long gone. The only thing that remained was an unrestrained thirst for vengeance.

"Lucan…?" I unconsciously took a step back.

My view of him was immediately obstructed by Ryne's back. He extended his arm out to prevent me or Kari from approaching and extended the other, dagger in hand, aimed towards his former partner.

"Stay back." He warned.

"Ryne." Lucan grinned. "Now, now. Don't keep her all to yourself. After all, Ashe and I have some unfinished business."

"You're not going to lay a finger on her." He seethed.

"Quite the contrary. We're going to pick up where we left off. Do you remember where that was Ashe?" He chuckled and leered at me, violating my body with his icy gaze.

Against my efforts, the memories flashed in my mind.

 _Lucan forcibly grabbed my jaw and crashed his lips into mine._

" _I'm not going to kill you, I'm just going to break you." He said softly._

"Mmm, so you _do_ remember." He purred, stepping forward.

"Back off!" Ryne yelled, dagger ready.

 _His nose brushed against mine and his warm breath hit my face as he whispered. "You have two options; You can get on the bed and give yourself to me freely, or I'll take you by force."_

 _He then gripped my shirt and began to rip..._

I shuddered and Lucan laughed.

"I'm going to savor those lips of hers with my hands wrapped tightly around that pretty little neck. I want her to squirm and beg while I watch the life slip from her eyes."

"Enough!" I yelled.

In a flash, an arrow had been nocked and released from my bow. Before it could strike Lucan, his body dispelled into a cloud of black smoke. A gust of cold air hit my back and his breath brushed my neck. My eyes widened.

"You smell so sweet." He whispered in my ear.

I quickly turned and stepped back but didn't gain enough distance to avoid the blow. His blade slashed across my chest and the blood began to dye my white blouse.

"Ack!" I gasped, falling to my knees.

"Stay back!" Kari yelled, sending a ball of fire towards him. He disappeared before it could make contact.

'You Bastard!" Ryne yelled, joining Kari at my side.

Lucan's chilling laughter resounded making its origin indiscernible.

"Are you alright?" Kari asked.

"I'll be fine." I replied, getting to my feet.

" _Hahahaha! How fun!"_ The voice from earlier returned to taunt us.

Lucan appeared again, this time in front of Ryne. He tried to strike but their blades clashed. Then, he vanished again. I cursed under my breath. This was nothing more than a sick puppet show.

"This isn't going to get us anywhere. We need to find the staff." Kari's black orbs carefully scanned the room. As Lucan appeared, she used her flames but he evaded again.

"She's right. We have to make a run for it." I grit my teeth.

"Damn it." Ryne muttered.

"Come on!" I yelled and all three of us made a run for it.

We had nearly made it to the next room when a silhouette took shape in the doorway. I came to an abrupt stop a few yards away from the man. He was middle-aged with light tan skin, brown hair, and brown eyes. He wore a miner's tunic that would have been ivory-colored if not for the blood that soaked the fabric. Through his heart was a lesion left by a sword.

"Who ar…" My question was cut off.

"No…" Ryne gasped.

A breeze brushed against my back and I turned. Lucan chuckled in delight. I raised my dagger to hold him at bay.

"You wretched child! You'll pay for what you did to me!" The older man growled and a sword formed in his hand.

"Father..." Ryne whispered.

My eyes locked on to the man again. _This is...Ryne's father!?_


	29. Chapter 29

_**Hello lovely peeps!**_

 _ **I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving! Since it is the holiday to give thanks, I wanted to shout out to these lovely people who continue to support me via reviews:**_

 _ **-Demidragon, bananahannah07, Dumnezeu-**_

 _ **Thank you all SO much! Your feedback is absolutely wonderful and it makes the hard work worthwhile! I hope that I can continue to entertain you all! I've been practicing/studying to improve my writing so I hope that it reflects in this chapter as well as future chapters! Please let me know how you feel about the changes (and/or if you notice them at all!). Thank you so much for your time and please enjoy! :)**_

* * *

 **Recap:**

"You wretched child! You'll pay for what you did to me!" The older man growled and a sword formed in his hand.

"Father..." Ryne whispered.

My eyes locked on to the man again. _This is...Ryne's father!?_

 **Chapter Start:**

Both men stared intently at each other while Kari and I contemplated from the sidelines.

The dark hair, the strong build, the distinguished, but somehow soft facial features. They were both undeniably beautiful and carried a magnitude of self-assurance. Yet, the reflection of them was distorted.

While at first glance, Ryne gives an impression of being intimidating and cross, he's a man of morals. Though you may not feel welcomed by him, you don't necessarily feel threatened by him either. His father was a different story. Every bit of his being exuded anger, malice, _hatred_. An indisputable, seething hatred that polluted the air around us. It was especially prominent towards his son and posed the question of what had happened between them.

"Don't look away." Lucan whispered, ripping my attention from the reunion.

The sound of his voice sent an unwarranted chill crawling up my spine. I quickly whirled around and as soon as my eyes met his, sinister feelings flooded the pit of my stomach. The very same feelings transpired day I killed him. Disgust, resentment, dread. Everything about him was virulent.

Metal met metal. I struck my sword down but he vanished. He re-emerged from the darkness, donning a menacing grin from ear to ear. That look was a weapon in itself. One that struck fear into most of Solitude's inhabitants.

For a moment, we stood completely still, silently exchanging threats, and trying to provoke the other to make a move. Both being headstrong and audacious, neither were likely to back down. Not unless something unanticipated occurred, which it did.

A barely audible gasp escaped from behind me. Kari's struggle to find her words had pulled my gaze from Lucan.

"Y-you…" She stammered.

Following her line of sight led to a gruesome scene. There, standing across the room, was a little boy. His short blonde hair framed his small face, falling into his ocean blue eyes. Just as the others, his skin was as white as snow with the exception of the thick red streams that cascaded from his mangled neck, down his frail body.

"So, you remember me?" The boy glared, not breaking from Kari.

"I-..."

"Kari...?" My brows knitted in confusion.

 _What is her relation to this boy?_ It wasn't one of kindred. The two were of a completely different race. It was a question that I asked myself, despite discerning the truth. Not only about her but about Ryne as well.

Lucan's thirst for vengeance was directed towards me specifically because I had been the one to take his life. Based on the accusations, the same could be inferred for Ryne's father. _But a child…?_ Before I could convince myself otherwise, the boy confirmed my suspicion.

"Do you remember what you did to me? How you tricked me? HOW YOU DEVOURED ME!?" He shrieked, sending a strong gust of wind colliding into us.

 _Kari..._ The thought that she was culpable for a child's violent death threatened my perception of her character.

"I'm...so sorry." The words struggled to leave her. They were quiet, and as shaky at the fists clenched tightly at her sides.

 _No…_ Those thoughts quickly came and went as I examined the distressed vampire. Legs trembling, eyes flinching...If she grit her teeth any more, they'd turn to dust.

Her reaction alone exposed the anguish that plagued her for who knows how long. Whatever had happened was now in the past and out of her control and no one on Nirn could punish her more than she had already punished herself.

"Kari, stay focused!" I yelled, staying grounded.

Lucan shifted, snapping my attention to him. The grip on my dagger tightened. He caught the warning, releasing a snicker at the gesture. It was proving to be an empty threat, after all.

The boy charged forward with a small blade. Kari, who had not yet recovered her senses, stood completely still. Petrified. There was no choice but to intervene.

In the nick of time, I blocked his strike. The small figure vanished and reappeared across the room. I swiveled around to face her, irritation clouding my features. This wasn't the time or place for her to check out.

"Snap out of it!" My hands tightened around her biceps and I shook her roughly.

She snapped out of her trance, slightly stunned at my actions and looked up to meet my eyes.

"You will not interfere!" The boy yelled and charged again.

I turned, lifting my dagger, more than ready to block his advance. Then, another aura hovered to my right.

Lucan's weapon tied with my own. Then, he grinned, peering over at the little boy who was now only a couple feet away, striking his blade down. There was no time to dodge, so I closed my eyes, steeling myself for the impending blow.

A wave of heat brushed over us when Kari skillfully engulfed the area in flames, forcing our attackers back. The boy's gaze sharpened at her.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"I am. Thank you." My focus was locked on Lucan. "Ryne?" I inquired.

"I'm fine."

Though his reply was hoarse and expressed nothing but unbridled hatred, somehow, it still eased me. Despite our predicament, the sound of that warm, baritone voice if his mitigated the fear and uncertainty that were chipping at my composure. It was times like this where I truly recognized how much I had grown to rely on Ryne.

While our backs were against each other, we were facing our own demons, waiting for their imminent attack. Silence enveloped the room leaving nothing but anticipation.

A few seconds later, Lucan jumped forward. Our blades tied and he blew me a taunting kiss. The sound of metal clashing and grinding was loud, intrusive, and coming from all sides of the room as we struggled to fight them off.

The speed and constancy of his blows prevented even a glance to the others. Reading his movements had become more difficult, forcing me on the defensive.

It wasn't until Ryne yelped that I thoughtlessly averted my gaze. Given the opening, Lucan cut my arm and threw a kick. The blow sent me skidding back. I bent my knees to maintain my balance.

"ACK!" He cried out again.

"Ryne!" My cedar eyes widened when I saw his hands trembling, dripping blood, and wrapped tightly around the blade that was partially lodged in his chest.

I wasted no time and charged towards his father. The older man saw the attack coming and retreated, removing his blade. Ryne took a knee. His father glared viciously when I stepped between them.

"Stay back-..." The words faded on my tongue as a sharp jolt hit my throat.

A scent lingered in the air, accompanied by an unwelcome sensation. A _thirst_.

I glanced over my shoulder, locking onto the crimson-colored liquid that dripped between Ryne's fingers as he held his chest. Looking at it did not bear a positive effect. I whipped my head forward and quietly gasped for air, ignoring the pain that pulsed through my body. Ryne seemed too preoccupied to notice.

"Are you alright?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady to hide my lack of composure.

"I'll live." He groaned.

He got to his feet, continuing to apply pressure to his wound. The moment I considered healing him, they resumed their assault. Every single blow was too fast, too strong to gain an advantage.

"We haven't even landed a hit on them yet." I cursed under my breath.

"Whose stupid idea was this again?" Ryne's question was laced with sarcasm and discontent.

"You're not helping." I sighed.

"Complaining is fruitless. We need to find the one who possesses the staff." Kari said, shooting another ball of flames.

"That's easier said than done. I quote 'we haven't landed a hit on them yet'." He heeded, knitting his brows.

"We'll have to make a break for it." I urged, blocking another attack.

"That didn't go so well last time." Ryne side-stepped his father's blade.

"It's our only option!" Kari argued.

Lucan charged at me again and struck down. Once more, I parried his blade but this time, he didn't disappear. He grabbed my wrist, holding me in place, and slashed towards my neck. I crouched down and punched his ribs but before my fist made contact, he vanished again.

"We're close to the main chamber. Let's go!" I yelled.

Ryne and Kari's heavy steps were on my tail and the others were on theirs. We continued to clash blades while trying to maintain our speed. The closer we got, the harder they fought to prevent our escape.

As we neared a doorway, Lucan took shape, obstructing our path. At my current speed, stopping was impossible, so I ran straight for him.

"Ashe! Stop!" Ryne yelled, trying to catch up.

He grinned and charged towards me. When we were only a couple feet apart, I dropped, sliding across the ground. His dagger nicked my cheek as I passed. Then, Ryne slashed towards him, prompting him to evade. While he was busy with Lucan, I quickly released an arrow, keeping his father at bay.

Finally, we turned the corner and I recognized it as the location of the puzzle door. Fortunately, it was already open, revealing the main chamber. We entered and came to a stop.

The room was completely void of life.

"Where is it?" Ryne yelled. He turned around, preparing himself for another attack.

"He must have fled." Kari snarled in frustration.

" _Don't flatter yourselves. I was merely enjoying the show, but it looks like it's coming to a close."_ He cackled.

Our pursuers visibly tensed. They were lined up, blocking our escape as the puzzle door closed. A new sense of bloodlust flashed in their eyes. At his command, we had gone from being toys, to being targets.

"Damn it." Ryne cursed, glaring daggers. "What in Oblivion do we do now!?"

Though I tried to remain calm, the same frustration and panic was stirring in me. What could we do? There was nowhere left to run and fighting them was ineffective. We had no time to strategize. Our pursuers wouldn't allow it.

My eyes gaze locked on his and that signature, revolting grin surfaced again. His stance was relaxed, almost too relaxed. It was still unclear whether or not the illusion amplified the anger, hatred, and cruelty of the other two spirits, but Lucan didn't seem any different than the last time I saw him. He was still just as vile when he was alive.

He charged forward again, much faster than before. I barely managed to parry his attack but he immediately side-stepped, catching me off guard and disarming me. His foot kicked the dagger to the other side of the room.

When his blade struck down, I blocked the blow with my forearm, gripped his arm, and positioned it in an attempt to break it. He saw it coming and caught my wrist. The pressure of his grip began to test the durability of my bones. Then, he locked my foot in and forced me back.

As he had planned, my foot caught the stairs. I ripped my wrist free but couldn't regain my balance. A yelped escaped me when my body slammed into the stone. The contact brutally expelled the air from my lungs.

"Ashe!" Ryne yelled.

Lucan straddled my hips and wrapped his hands around my neck. When his grip tightened, I clawed at him, trying to break free. Reaching back to my quiver, I pulled an arrow and tried to plunge it in his chest. He caught my hand, disarmed me again, and pinned my wrists with one hand, keeping the other one tightly wrapped around my neck.

Breath as cold as winter hovered over me. I shuddered as his lips glided over the nape of my neck, traveling to my jaw, and brushing against my temple. A light kiss on my cheekbone made me flail, using any and all strength I had to try to break free, but only resulted in his hand tightening around my neck. His lips continued against my skin, this time, nearing my own. _No..._

"Get off of her!" A rush of air entered my lungs when Ryne swung down at Lucan, forcing him to retreat. "Are you alright?!" He asked, extending his hand.

My hand held my throat as I coughed, eagerly trying to receive oxygen. When I finally reached up to take his hand, his grip went limp. Ryne groaned when his father slashed his sword across his back.

"NO!" I caught him as he fell into my lap.

His father lifted his blade to strike again but Ryne turned and kicked him back. Then, he quickly returned to his feet, guarding me from Lucan.

Suddenly, an abrupt pain exploded in my chest. _My...heart…_ But it didn't stop there. The pain began to rise, reaching my throat. Burning, _scorching_ , like I had swallowed a hot coal.

"ACK!" I cried out, clutching my chest. When I did, my gaze locked on to my hands which had been coated with crimson.

 _Blood..._ They were covered in Ryne's blood. He turned to me but his father kicked him in the diaphragm, sending him flying back.

"R-..." My voice cracked. Breathing had become infinitely more difficult, and trying to do so had forced me into another coughing fit.

With every cough, every heartbeat, the agony intensified, making it harder for oxygen to reach my lungs. Waves and waves struck me again and again, like a blade repeatedly piercing my chest.

 **Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump.**

It beat rapidly. Violently. The sound echoed in my ears and it wasn't only mine. I could hear all of our hearts. I could hear their blood being pumped into their veins. I could smell it. I could almost taste the iron on my tongue. I was _yearning_ for it, so much that it was ripping apart my insides.

 **Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump.**

A groan escaped my lips and my hands flew up to my ears, trying to drown it out. If anything, bringing my blood-soaked hands closer to my face made it worse. I winced, trying to calm myself. Ryne and Kari called out for me but I couldn't hear them over my heightened senses, which turned against me.

Lucan did not waste the opportunity. He appeared in front of me and planted his foot into my stomach. The force sent me skidding across the ground. My body crashed into the wall, dispelling what little oxygen I had collected.

Slowly, I pulled myself to my knees and slammed my palms into the ground. Every part of me felt so heavy and so weak. I began to sway when the vertigo kicked in.

 **Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump.**

He approached and pushed me onto my back, planting his foot on my chest. As he applied pressure, the pain increased, and my oxygen decreased. Dark blotches clouded my vision and my control was slipping.

"Time to join me in the afterlife." Lucan's voice pierced my ears.

I looked around the room and saw Ryne struggling to reach me. In the distance, Kari was on the ground, eyes wide in horror, but unable to make a move as the young boy had cornered her. They screamed but all I could hear was their heartbeats.

 **Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump.**

Lucan lifted his blade...

" _WAIT!"_

He stopped immediately at the sound of his master's voice.

" _How perfect…."_ My brows knitted in confusion. Somehow, I managed to use the wall to push myself up. Looking over, Ryne's expression was both relieved and concerned. " _There's no point in killing you…You're already dying!"_

"What…" Ryne gasped and his eyes widened. He looked to me for answers, but I didn't have a chance to explain before the voice continued.

" _You must feel it. The corruption flowing through your veins. The thirst for blood."_ He laughed. " _Your friend killed you the moment she plunged her fangs into your flesh. You're running out of time."_

Kari grit her teeth, tears of guilt welling up in her eyes. Ryne couldn't form a response but didn't break eye contact with me. The way he looked at me was gut-wrenching; his gaze emitted pain in more ways than one.

" _I must say, the fact that you still managed to fight was quite impressive after losing that much blood. The pain must be unbearable but you still managed to defend yourself. It's almost as if you have a tolerance to the disease."_ He contemplated for a moment before he spoke again. " _Well, I think this calls for a change of plans! You can watch your friends die first. Then, right before your last breath as a human, Lucan can finish you off as he sees fit."_

"Sounds fun." Lucan grinned. "Don't go anywhere, Sweetheart."

Then, he walked over to Ryne who was struggling against his father. _Move..._ My brows furrowed and I pushed myself off the wall to try and stop him. Immediately, the vertigo returned, sending me to my knees.

"No…" The sound that escaped my raw throat was nothing more than a harsh murmur. _I can't...speak…_

"Ryne!" Kari cried out, but she was wounded, exhausted, cornered.

The young boy could kill her at any moment, but they were savoring it. They wanted us to watch Ryne die.

 **ThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThump**

Ryne yelped when Lucan grabbed him by the neck and forced him into the wall. Lucan held him down while his father readied his sword. Slowly, the blade dragged down his arm. He cried out again.

 **ThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThump**

It was so loud.

"Finally." His father glared, dragging the sword across his torso.

 _NO! MOVE!_ I tried to crawl over but something wrapped around my leg and pulled me back. When I looked, a chain had been wrapped around my ankle, securing me to the wall.

" _Nah ah ah!"_ He clicked his tongue in disapproval.

Lucan planted his knee into Ryne's stomach, once, twice, three times.

"Please…stop..." I gasped, but it was merely a whisper lost amongst the grunts and groans of pain.

 **ThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThump**

All of our hearts were racing uncontrollably. All three. _Wait..._ I gasped when I realized it. Immediately, and with the last of my strength, I nocked and arrow on my bow, aiming it forward.

" _Hahahaha! You should know that it's futile!"_

Ryne's father didn't move, not showing even the slightest concern at the arrow aimed directly at his head. My eyes closed and I listened carefully, dissecting what my senses were trying to tell me.

 **ThumpThumpThumpThumpThump**

 **ThumpThumpThumpThumpThump**

 **Thump Thump Thump Thump Thump Thump Thump**

 _THERE!_ After a swift adjustment to my aim, I let my arrow fly.

" _AAAGGGHH!"_

Metal clinked against the ground as the Staff of Wraiths descended the stone steps.

When I opened my cedar eyes, Lucan and the others vanished, along with the door blocking our escape and the chains that bound me. Our true enemy had taken shape, at the top of the stairs. His hand was carefully clutching his shoulder, which had been impaled by my arrow.

My knees buckled and I collapsed, sitting against the wall. Both Ryne and Kari ran over to me.

"How…" The man hissed. "How did...you know!?" Every word that left his mouth was laced with venom.

My comrades also looked down at me, clearly sharing the same curiosity.

"I heard three heartbeats." My voice was a whisper, but it was now audible in the silent room. Though I had provided the answer, he continued to wear a confused expression. "I heard three heartbeats," I repeated. "but only two of us are alive." As my eyes fell on Ryne and Kari, they suddenly realized it.

Out of the three of us, only Ryne and I were still alive. Being a fully-fledged vampire, Kari was not. Her heart had stopped, forever frozen in time when she had fully succumbed to the disease.

I was half-tempted to laugh at the irony. The disease that was killing me, had saved all of us.

Kari walked over and picked up the staff from where it had fallen. Her black, piercing gaze quietly examined him. The look she gave him deemed words unnecessary. He knew what followed.

"Please...have mercy!" He begged.

Perhaps it was what he had done, forcing her to face the mistakes of her past. Maybe it was because he hurt Bjorn, or us. Whatever it was had showed me a side of Kari that I had yet to see. It was quiet, but deadly.

Kari proceeded to lift her palms to him, and slowly burn him alive. He screamed, pleading for her to stop, but there was not a lick of benevolence in her obsidian eyes. Moments later, he was nothing more than ashes on the floor.


	30. Chapter 30

_**Oh my!**_

 _ **Chapter 30!? It's crazy to think about how much has happened and all of the things that we have to look forward to in this story! I really hope that you are all continuing to enjoy it. As usual, any feedback is GREATLY appreciated. Thank you SO much to those who have given reviews. You are all so lovely! Well, I will not hold you back any longer! Please enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think! Happy Holidays! :)**_

 _ **-Sh4d3r**_

* * *

 **Recap:**

Kari proceeded to lift her palms to him, and slowly burn him alive. He screamed, pleading for her to stop, but there was not a lick of benevolence in her obsidian eyes. Moments later, he was nothing more than ashes on the floor.

 **Chapter Start:**

I could feel his amber eyes burning into me while Kari tended to his wounds. I had tried to use restoration to heal him, but as expected, he wouldn't allow it and forced me to heal myself. Kari carefully cleaned and bandaged his torso, arm, and back in silence while I avoided his scrutinizing gaze. When she finished, she quietly walked over to the horses and packed away her supplies. Ryne stayed put.

"Are you alright?" My gaze met his under the cover of eyelashes. The moment it did, guilt panged in my chest. I quickly looked away.

"No, not really." He replied.

It was clear that he wasn't talking about his wounds, he was talking about what I had done to him, or rather, what I hadn't done. The moment that Kari's fangs penetrated my skin, I knew that I contracted the disease, and I didn't tell him.

Contracting vampirism is an agonizing process. Your body, your strength, your sanity, all are pushed relentlessly to their limits. The only relief that you can find is through submitting; quenching your thirst. The more you resist it, the more it rips you apart, turning your own blood and body against you. It courses through every part of you, slowly scorching away your humanity, feeding off of your life force...but even that didn't hurt as much as the way he was looking at me.

"I..." When I saw him glare, I failed to form a response and pressed my lips into a tight line.

I wanted to tell him that I was sorry, but I knew that I would have made the same decision again. There was no way that I could allow the staff to remain in that man's possession, and there was no way that Ryne would have allowed me to go through with it had he known about the contraction.

In the end, even though it hadn't been intentional, my actions were selfish. I overestimated my abilities and underestimated the enemy. While trying to do what I thought was right, I risked the lives of two people that I held dear.

"Why do you _do_ this?" His voice was husky, hoarse.

Kari shuffled, distancing herself further to grant us privacy.

"Ryne,"

He cut me off before I could continue.

"You treat your life like it's expendable or insignificant. You take responsibility for everything, for everyone, even if it has _nothing_ to do with you."

"I can't just walk aw-..."

"Why!?" The distress was audible, even through his grit teeth. "People die, Ashe! That's life! It's not your responsibility to play hero!"

Guilt, frustration, anger, remorse. So many things washed over me and my hands began to tremble under the pressure of it.

Did I have some kind of foolish hero complex? Perhaps that was part of it but I wasn't naive enough to believe that I could save everyone. Even so, that never stopped me from trying.

There had been a point in my life where I was completely worthless. Before the discovery of my power, I had no purpose. I was _nothing_. From that, I developed an uncontrollable urge to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. I knew what being powerless felt like...But even that wasn't all of it, not anymore.

I had no idea how many people were killed, kidnapped, or had suffered because of my displacement in time. Many of them were dear to me, some of them I didn't even know, but I did know that my existence brought misfortune on to innocent people. Sacrificing everything I could to try and fix this...it was my responsibility. I owed them that much.

Knowing that I couldn't bring myself tell him this, the best option was to walk away from this discussion.

"Excuse me." I muttered.

I stood up and whirled around to leave, but he quickly caught my wrist.

"Don't run away!" He snapped.

"Let me go, Ryne." When I attempted to break free, his grip tightened.

"I won't! Not until you tell me what's going on! Tell me why! Do you have some sort of death wish!?"

"It's not like that!" My brows furrowed.

"Then what is it!? What could possibly justify this sick game of self-sacrifice that you insist on playing?!"

"BECAUSE IT'S MY FAULT!" The outcry echoed through the trees.

Regret sunk into me like an anchor. I absentmindedly rested the back of my hand to my lips but it was too late to swallow the words.

This wasn't the first time that I admitted fault, despite not telling him what I was at fault for. It was however, the first time that I had yelled at him like that.

It took a few seconds for the resounding words to fade from the forest and when they did, my vision glossed over. I whirled around, keeping my eyes to my wrist. I couldn't look at him directly, not now.

"Please…Let me go…" I choked, resisting the tears that threatened to escape. The resistance formed a painful lump in my throat.

His grip tightened slightly, as if hesitant, almost _pleading_. Then, after a moment, he obeyed and watched me slip away.

Kari returned to the horses when she saw me approach Onyx. Her expression told me that she was hyperaware of what had just taken place, but she didn't say a word about it. When my eyes left hers, I glanced at the Staff of Wraiths that was now tightly secured to her back. Ryne walked over and packed up as well.

"We should go." He suggested, mounting his horse.

"I'll be going my own way for now. The staff needs to be delivered to the College." Kari said.

"Alright, we'll meet you in Windhelm." He turned to face South and waited for me to follow suit.

Rather than joining him, I hesitated. Being alone with Ryne for the next three hours was something that I wasn't ready for, not after what just happened. In addition to that, the College could provide some much-needed answers.

"I'm going with you.' I looked up at Kari and she nodded.

"Ashe-..." Ryne frowned.

"We won't be long. We should return tomorrow morning." Kari interrupted.

Ryne looked to me for a response, but I kept my mouth shut and my face hidden under the hood of the cloak he gave me.

"Be careful." He muttered and rode off before I could tell him the same.

Kari and I leisurely headed towards Winterhold.

"That went well." She quirked a brow towards me.

"I'm sorry. It was impetuous to lash out like that. I'm not in my right mind." My grip tightened against the leather reins.

"Your apology is misdirected." Kari replied.

It irked me how she was always right. Ryne was the one who deserved an apology. No matter the odds, he upheld blind loyalty towards me and I never gave him any answers. He didn't even know who he was traveling with.

"Will you ever tell him?" She asked, perceptive as usual. I might have laughed at how well she could read me if her question wasn't something that I had deliberately avoided asking myself.

My reasoning for keeping my identity from him was because I couldn't bear to lose him. Yet, being in my presence put his life at risk. It made me both a hypocrite and a coward. I had never felt so selfish, and it was directed towards someone whom I had inexplicable affections for.

"I… I don't know. I want to, but I'm…" I furrowed my brows in frustration, not towards her, but towards me.

"You don't think he'll react well." It was a statement, not a question; Completely void of doubt. Her insight really was frightening.

Then, the truth slipped again. The truth that I had never admitted, but that I've always known. There was always a latent reason behind my cautious nature when it came to developing friendships and relationships. I had many allies and acquaintances, but not many would say that they _truly_ knew me. It was better that way. I didn't deserve them.

"People depict me as some kind of hero, but they couldn't be more wrong. I've deceived, robbed, and killed hundreds. If your theory is correct, I'm also to blame for dozens of disappearances. My title of Dragonborn is nothing more than a facade; a false aspect that was created to give people hope in me when I deserve nothing less than death." I spat, disgusted with myself. "Ryne is in the minority of those who know that truth. If he found out who I was, I doubt he would want anything to do with me."

I took her silence as contemplation, but that was not the case.

"You really are a damned fool." There was a low growl in her voice. One of impatience and annoyance. I looked up at her, stunned that she had just outright insulted me. It wasn't groundless, but it was unexpected. "After what you saw in that Sanctum, do you honestly believe that you're the only one with blood on your hands? We all harbor secrets and regrets."

As she said it, I recalled Ryne's encounter with his father. I had considered asking about it but suppressed the urge because it wasn't any of my business. If he wanted me to know, he would tell me, but that didn't stop me from worrying about him. The moment he saw his father's face, something resurfaced. Some thought or feeling lingered in his eyes, and since then, the amber color had dimmed ever-so-slightly.

Kari interrupted my drifting thoughts as she continued.

"Stop lingering in the past. You can't change what you've done, but you can still choose what you will do with the rest of your time."

What she said was amusing because I had given the same advice to others. It was something much easier said than done.

"I'll keep that in mind." I replied.

"I will cease the lecture for now and move on to another matter. I've been wanting to ask you about this dragon cult you mentioned." Kari glanced over, studying me as if my reaction would give away the severity of the situation.

"There really isn't much to say. I have no idea what they want from me, only that they know exactly who I am and what I look like." I knitted my brows, trying to recall any details that could prove useful.

"Have you ever encountered their sigil before?"

"No, but it was definitely a depiction of Alduin. I'd know that face anywhere." There was a hint of venom in my voice the moment his name left my tongue.

"I see. Well they'll likely come after you again so watch your back. Maybe next time, we can get more information." She said.

I tried to reply but instead groaned as a scorching pain overtook my body. Onyx whinnied and came to a stop. Kari approached at my side, waiting patiently. She was well-versed in the subject of vampirism knew that there was nothing she could do.

The burning in my throat made it difficult to breathe. I heaved, desperately seeking oxygen but every intake felt like a gust of wildfire. By then end of it, I was pale, damp, and trembling.

"I know the Arch-Mage of the College. He can provide a cure potion once we get there. It isn't much further." Kari handed me a half-full water skin. I gladly took a drink and let to cool liquid soothe my raw throat.

"Thank you. I'm doing fine." I reassured her with what was left of my voice and we continued up the path.

Just as promised, we reached Winterhold shortly after.

It was surprising to see that, compared to the other cities and towns I had visited, Winterhold hadn't really changed. The only noticeable change was the inhabitants. Everything else, down to the cold, bitter wind and lingering resentment, had remained unaltered.

The resentful inhabitants mentioned were glaring holes into the back of our heads as we approached the College. When we did, the gatekeeper stepped forward.

"Good afternoon." Kari greeted.

"I'm sorry, but the way is closed. The College is not accepting any students or visitors at this time." He frowned apologetically.

"I understand, but we must insist." Kari grabbed the staff and presented it. "The reason for our visit is to consign the Staff of Wraiths."

"The Staff of Wraiths!? How did you acquire this item?" He exclaimed, carefully inspecting the staff.

"It was commandeered from a cultist of Boethiah and it's imperative that the Arch-Mage receives it directly to ensure that it does not again fall into the wrong hands." There was an undertone of annoyance in her response. If I had to guess, it was being reserved for the Arch-Mage.

"Of course. Please follow me." He nodded.

We obeyed, keeping a short distance behind our guide.

"Why is the College closed off to the public?" I whispered.

"I'm not sure. Perhaps it has something to do with the missing scroll." Kari frowned.

The large gates slowly opened, granting us entry to the main courtyard. Not many people were outside but it was expected considering the bad weather and time of night. The people we did see were dressed in novice robes, heading towards their quarters after finishing the last lesson of the evening.

Upon reaching the door to the Hall of Elements, our escort reached for the handle. Before he could touch it, the door had already swung open, revealing a face that I did not expect, but immediately recognized. _Faralda…_

"Caengorn, what do you think you're doing? Why are you not tending to the gate?" Faralda frowned, resting her hand on her hips and impatiently waiting for a reasonable explanation. The young man stiffened.

"M-Ma'am, I'm sorry! These two are here to see the Arch-Mage. They obtained the Staff of Wraiths and have come to deliver it to him." He stuttered.

"The Staff of Wraiths?" She questioned, looking over to Kari. "Well, if that's the case, I can ensure that he receives it." Faralda waited patiently for Kari to comply but she did no such thing.

"Forgive my objection, but I will not be handing the staff over to anyone else. It must be received by the Arch-Mage directly." Kari smiled.

"Very well. If you insist, I will escort you from here. Caengorn, please return to your post." Faralda looked to the young man. He nodded and quickly scurried off.

For a moment, her eyes fell on me. I quickly looked away, hiding my face. This wasn't our first encounter with her, but she and I had never become well-acquainted. There was no doubt in my mind that Faralda would have recognized me if she saw me.

Back then, I had been granted studentship to the College per her recommendation, but after obtaining the information on the Elder Scrolls, I left and never resumed my education. It was a decision that came back to bite me in the ass. If I attended the College when I was supposed to, my skills in magic - or lack thereof - wouldn't be so humiliating.

Kari and I followed Faralda into the Hall and up the stairs. That was when it hit me again. The same, agonizing, abrupt pain had struck me. My legs buckled beneath me and I fell against the stone. I moaned lightly, trying not to draw any attention to myself but it was much too late for that.

At the worst possible time, my senses began to shut down. The pain was no longer present, but I couldn't feel anything. My body went weak and then numb.

"Ashe!"

The sound of Kari's voice faded along with my vision.


	31. Wounds of Time - Author Update

Hello all,

I thought it would be best to communicate what is going on with this story, rather than leaving you all in the dark. It has been a long time since I've updated anything on this story and I apologize. In the last year I have lost two family members and I've been dealing with health issues so I haven't been able to focus on writing as much as I'd like to. In addition, after reading through what I had written and what I had planned for the future of this story, I quickly realized that I wasn't satisfied. Unfortunately, I relied too much on improvising and ended up contradicting some future material. Also, I wasn't happy with the writing itself. It moved too fast, it was too predictable, too unrealistic, and overall, not what I wanted it to be. I'm sorry that I ended up being one of the very frustrating cases of unfinished works. I hate that it turned out this way. Still, I haven't given up on this story. I'm not sure as far as how long it will be, but I am working on re-planning, reorganizing, and rewriting this story. Even though what I've written hasn't lived up to what I wanted to share with you, I am still very passionate about my characters (some of which will not return in the rewrite), my ideas, and writing an emotional, romantic, thrilling ride of a Skyrim story for you. As I mentioned, it will take time, but I'm not going to give up!

For those of you who supported me and continued to support me through feedback, comments, favorites, follows, etc., thank you so much. I absolutely appreciate each and every one of you and you've really helped me through this entire process. If any are willing, I would love to hear more from you so I can consider what my readers want to see in the rewrite of this story. Was there anything that bothered you? Did you love anything about the story in particular? Did you dislike anything in particular? Who was your favorite character? Was there anything in the story that you felt was either unnecessary, conflicting, or could use improvement? Any feedback at all would be greatly appreciated so I can be sure to make the rewrite everything we hope it will be. Once again, thank you all SO much and thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope to hear from you soon.

-Sh4d3r


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